Officers and directors of the Idyllwild Lions Club for 1977-78 were, front row, from left, Charlie Kretsinger, Nile Thomas, Milt Meyer and Jim Helland; back row, from left, Bob Thomas, Gene Price, Albert Austin, Gary Dencklau, Dick Miller, Nick Halic, installing officer Vern Boyer and Clyde Price. New president George Hoffman was not pictured. File photo
Officers and directors of the Idyllwild Lions Club for 1977-78 were, front row, from left, Charlie Kretsinger, Nile Thomas, Milt Meyer and Jim Helland; back row, from left, Bob Thomas, Gene Price, Albert Austin, Gary Dencklau, Dick Miller, Nick Halic, installing officer Vern Boyer and Clyde Price. New president George Hoffman was not pictured.
File photo

65 years ago - 1949

Chuck Holmes was the local boy selected for Boys State by the American Legion Post 800.

 

60 years ago - 1954

The Chamber of Com- merce was planning to host a chuckwagon dinner for the annual Fourth of July celebration.

 

55 years ago - 1959

Camp Maranatha’s new assembly hall, with seating for 400, was nearing completion.

 

50 years ago - 1964

The first order for 26 street signs was sent to the county by the Idyllwild Property Owners Association and efforts were underway to raise funds for more.

45 years ago - 1969

District Ranger Karl Tameler and State Park Supervisor William Stahlberg were among those invited to breakfast with then Gov. Ronald Reagan at the mountain station of the tramway.

 

40 years ago - 1974

Folk were visiting the hummingbirds at Mac and Elma McPherson’s place on John Muir Road, a popular local attraction. It was estimated that about 6,000 people visited their “Hummingbird Place” the previous summer.

35 years ago - 1979

Wildwood Music Camp began its eighth summer season at Buckhorn Camp.

 

25 years ago - 1989

A Forest Service prescribed burn near Bautista Canyon got out of control and burned 250 more acres than planned.

 

20 years ago - 1994

Smokey Bear celebrated his 50th birthday at the fifth-annual Idyllwild Lions Club Timber Festival.

 

15 years ago - 1999

There was a big turnout for the Pine Cove Property Owners Association’s “Pride in Pine Cove Day” Spring Cleanup.

 

10 years ago - 2004

Randy Owen, owner of Mountain Fire Abatement Service, donated $500 to the Idyllwild School Associated Student Body. This donation brought Owen’s total gifts to the community to $10,000.

 

5 years ago - 2009

Idyllwild Community Recreation Center head Chris Singer made it clear at the June 11 board meeting that the Idyllwild Community Center project is one that deserved a separate managerial committee with decision-making authority, apart from but reporting to the ICRC board.

 

1 year ago - 2013

Arturo Delgado, the new district ranger on the San Jacinto Ranger District, had arrived, been meeting his new staff and learning about the Hill. And what he had discovered, as many residents have learned, is “it just feels like home. There are lots of trees, grass and water,” he said. “I grew up in a small town like Idyllwild.”