55 years ago – 1956
Of the 651 registered voters from Pine Cove to Anza, 384 were Republican, 225 were Democrats, and 42 declined to state their party affiliation.
50 years ago – 1961
Bonnar Blong, local game manager, reported the extreme drought had caused a drastic drop in the number of coyotes, bobcats and lions in the local mountains.
45 years ago – 1966
U.S. Air Force Major Robert Krone was decorated with two awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross for action in Vietnam.
40 years ago – 1971
Forest Lumber held an open house celebrating its new building on lower Pine Crest.
35 years ago – 1976
The Idyllwild Area Historical Society hosted a showing of a recently discovered short film shot in Idyllwild in the 1920s. It included scenic views of the local area such as the Idyllwild Inn and other downtown businesses, the dirt road to Hemet, a miniature golf course on South Circle, old cars and men in knickers.
30 years ago – 1981
At an Idyllwild Property Owners Association meeting, an overflow crowd of property owners championed stricter dog control. At that time in Idyllwild, there was no leash law in effect.
25 years ago – 1986
Idyllwild School third grade teacher Doris Lombard was honored as Teacher of the Year by the Hemet Unified School District board. Her noted achievements included being the author of educational science materials used by students statewide and having organized the first Idyllwild School Science Fair.
20 years ago – 1991
In the midst of a recession, locals decided to help the businesses that would, following local tradition, hand out candy to children on Halloween. Stations for people to drop off candy were organized so that it could then be passed along to the businesses to give out.
15 years ago – 1996
Author and then Hill resident John Archambault’s recently published children’s book, “The Birth of a Whale,” received a gold award in the 1996 National Parenting Publications Awards competition.
10 years ago – 2001
Idyllwild resident Shaunna Friemoth was crowned homecoming queen during halftime festivities at Hemet High’s homecoming football game. Shaunna’s mother, Tamara, was homecoming queen in 1978.
5 years ago – 2006
The directors of Animal Rescue Friends of Idyllwild (ARF) made a public appeal for help in obtaining the land and building needed for an animal shelter to house its rescued dogs and cats until they could be adopted. ARF still has hopes of building a shelter.
1 year ago – 2010
Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack was one of the dignitaries to attend the 10th anniversary celebration of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. Bono Mack had introduced the legislation that created the national monument.
