Company History

A History of Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa in Southern California

The Native Americans are the first people we know of who enjoyed the mystical waters here at Glen Ivy. The Spaniards were equally impressed, gathering to relax and enjoy themselves in what they designated as a safe and peaceful place. The next group of people to come around was the Overland Stage Company travelers. In fact, an ad appeared in the Los Angeles Star in September of 1860 inviting the weary travelers to come and relax. From the early 1870s until it burned down in 1884, the nearby Coldwater Hotel catered to spa guests. Then in 1879, what was to become the first Glen Ivy Hot Springs Hotel was built and managed by Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Steers. It is a commonly held belief that Mrs. Steers named the property Glen Ivy Hot Springs. She was originally from England, where a canyon is often called a glen. And at the time, wild grape ivy grew profusely in Coldwater Canyon. So it came to be: the name Glen Ivy.

Throughout the 1890s, Glen Ivy Hot Springs became quite popular. The cost of a swim was 25¢, which included the bathing suit and towel. In 1913, Frank and Mabel Johnson bought Glen Ivy Hot Springs and turned it into a true resort destination. They expanded the Glen Ivy Hot Springs Hotel and even brought in such extravagances as electricity and natural gas. They also rebuilt “The Plunge” swimming pool within the 1880s rock-and-mortar shell. In fact, today’s newly reconditioned lap pool is constructed within the walls of this very pool. With such fancy resort amenities, a dirt airstrip was soon put into place as some of Hollywood’s finest discovered this semi-private oasis. Ronald Reagan stayed for a week while filming a movie in the area. And, speaking of politics, former President Herbert Hoover is known to have visited back in 1933.

In the late 1930s, Danish-born Axel Springborg purchased Glen Ivy and helped it thrive for three decades. Axel was perhaps most famous for his smorgasbord buffets, which people loved. He retired in 1964 and sold Glen Ivy Hot Springs to Corona’s Temescal Water Company. The hotel and spa were beginning to show their age, a state of affairs which worsened with a sudden rainstorm in 1969. A flashflood from the nearby Santa Ana Mountains washed away several cottages and damaged the grounds. So Axel Springborg soon regained control of Glen Ivy and searched for a new property owner. Finally, after 1977, the property was sold and the spa was incorporated by private shareholders. Until his death in 1992, Axel lived near the hot springs and frequented the site.

While maintaining much of its historic charm, Glen Ivy has been renovated and expanded to accommodate the increasing number of guests. Have a look. See what’s old. See what’s new. Then relax and enjoy the best of both worlds.