Past Tense: Sept. 8, 2011

Sept. 11, 2011 — At the Idyllwild post office, then Fire Chief Tim Gustafson holds out a firefighter’s boot for a contribution from 3-year-old Julie Gurling of Idyllwild. The money he collected was sent to help the families of firefighters who died or were injured in the New York attack. The Idyllwild Fire Department collected more than $6,100 toward this effort. Town Crier file photo

In these photos from the Sept. 20, 2001 edition of the Town Crier, Idyllwild residents respond in positive ways to the tragedy that affected all Americans.

60 years ago – 1951
Idyllwild had 450 full-time residents.

55 years ago – 1956
The Christian Science Church was being built on Cedar Street.

50 years ago – 1961
Keith Froelich hiked 86,992 feet while measuring the trails within the State Park wilderness area.

45 years ago – 1966
As a result of a new county ordinance banning burning dumps, then County Supervisor Floyd McCall announced that a public cut-and-fill dump would replace the open-burning pit used by the community for several decades. The Forest Service made 20 acres of public land available for the facility, which was to be maintained by the County Roads Department.

40 years ago – 1971
Ma Poates, Idyllwild pioneer and mother of Eleanor Johnson (for whom Eleanor Park was named), died at the age of 93.

35 years ago – 1976
After having changed their minds a couple of times, members of the Pine Cove Property Owners Association voted to petition the County Board of Supervisors to approve a Municipal Advisory Commission for Pine Cove.

30 years ago – 1981
Town Hall offered a class on how to safely use and properly maintain a chain saw.

25 years ago – 1986
Cindy Allert celebrated her 10th anniversary of ownership of the Idyllwild Beauty Shop at a surprise party, which her employees organized. Today, Allert is still at the helm.

20 years ago – 1991
A team of seven Idyllwild ham radio operators from the local Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services organization conducted a simulated earthquake exercise to test their readiness for a real emergency. This Saturday, Sept. 10, Mountain Disaster Preparedness (MDP) will conduct a “Shake Up” drill based at the Idyllwild Fire Station and at various Disaster Aid Stations throughout the community.

15 years ago – 1996
The County of Riverside approved Idyllwild Arts Foundation’s 10-year master plan, which included plans for a new 30,000-square-foot dormitory, a 16,000-square-foot library, a painting studio, an exhibition building, a theater and a headmaster’s residence.

10 years ago – 2001
The streets of Idyllwild were quiet as townspeople tried to cope with feelings of shock and anger after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center buildings in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

5 years ago – 2006
A hiker was lost for four days in the Mt. San Jacinto State Wilderness. Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit volunteers eventually found him, but only after a heavy storm interrupted their search for a day.

1 year ago – 2010
Idyllwild mourned the loss of IFPD firefighter Scott Carlson who died after a hard-fought battle with cancer.