60 years ago – 1951
Dutton’s Corner Store, owned by Leigh and Maggie Dutton, opened its doors at Fern Valley Corners on the site of the former the Fern Valley Market.
55 years ago – 1956
At a ceremony held at the little Indian cemetery at Cahuilla, a marker on the grave of Juan Diego was unveiled. Diego was the lover of Ramona, also buried there.
50 years ago – 1961
The community was shocked as word spread that Lloyd E. “Bill” Morland, 50, a lieutenant in the Idyllwild Fire Department, had suffered a fatal heart attack while fighting a lightning fire on Marion View Drive.
45 years ago – 1966
Dolores Bergman, first director of the Town Hall recreation program created by the newly formed service area that contracted with the Idyllwild Chamber of Commerce for use of Town Hall, reported that in addition to daily activities for children, adults and children could take craft, art, music, pottery and chess classes, attend nature talks and take guided hikes. There was also a Friday night “teen time,” with records, refreshments and games and a community campfire with entertainment on Saturday nights.
40 years ago – 1971
A new Idyllwild entrance sign, proclaiming Idyllwild to be “America’s Cleanest Forest,” was installed along Highway 243. It replaced individual markers.
35 years ago – 1976
The endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep were given another 11,459 acres within which to roam, thanks to the actions of the Nature Conservancy, a private protective society that engineered the purchase of nearly 17 square miles in the Santa Rosa Mountains.
30 years ago – 1981
The Idyllwild Fire Protection District Board of Commissioners voted to set a standby charge of $20 per unit on assessable parcels. Voters in the district also authorized the commissioners to impose a maximum standby charge of $65.
25 years ago – 1986
There was a new taxi cab service in Idyllwild, the Village Cab Co. In addition to transporting people to local and off-Hill destinations, owners Kat and Barry Davis delivered pets and parcels.
20 years ago – 1991
Then 61-year-old Bud Hunt and cycling cohorts were taking weekly 34-mile bike rides from Idyllwild to Paradise Corners and back. Dubbed the “Biscuits and Gravy Ride,” because riders stopped to eat breakfast when they reached Paradise Corners.
15 years ago – 1996
With the Hill just getting back to normal after the Bee Canyon Fire, firefighters from many agencies were battling two more — the Wolfskill and Cabazon fires. More than 10,300 acres were burned and Highway 243 was closed near the Twin Pines Boys Ranch, which had to be evacuated.
10 years ago – 2001
The Board of Governors of the Idyllwild Arts Foundation feted more than 100 people after a successful five-year campaign that raised $9.3 million for expansion and renovation of campus facilities.
5 years ago – 2006
At the Anza Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting, council member Tulvio Durand reported that in the first quarter of 2006, there had been 12 fatalities near the intersection of highways 79 and 371. Saying that Highway 371, when built, was never intended to handle such heavy truck and commuter traffic, he called for Caltrans to do a thorough safety study and ultimately to build a four-lane highway.
1 year ago – 2010
The Pine Cove Post Office was permanently closed.
