55 years ago: This ad was published on Oct. 11, 1957, in the Town Crier. File photo

65 years ago – 1947
The newly formed house committee for Town Hall took steps to waterproof the basement, purchase oil heaters and provide restrooms.

 

60 years ago – 1952
Halfway through the deer hunting season, a record number of 374 bucks were tallied. Meanwhile, locals were spreading a tall tale about a hunter who took a snooze and awoke to a buck licking his face.

55 years ago – 1957
Town Crier founders and publishers Ernest and Betty Maxwell sold the newspaper to Mark Clevenger, San Clemente Sun Post news editor.

45 years ago – 1967
Volunteers were busy constructing the Mile-High Trap Club shooting range on Baldy Mountain.

40 years ago – 1972
The Poverty Construction Company was building the first solar kiln in the world. It contained 8,000 mirrors, each cut by hand.

35 years ago – 1977
While working at a restaurant in Idyllwild, Michele McCann was asked to be in a 1978 Ford Bronco commercial. She agreed and added publicity work to her resumé.

30 years ago – 1982
Idyllwild merchants complied with a statewide removal of all over-the-counter drug sales of Tylenol regular and extra strength. The action was taken one week after Tylenol capsules laced with cyanide reportedly caused seven deaths in the Chicago area.

20 years ago – 1992
Caltrans blamed contractors for the bridge delay on Highway 243 at Strawberry Creek.

15 years ago – 1997
The Idyllwild Community Presbyterian Church celebrated more than 50 years of service.

10 years ago – 2002
Lawyers representing the Mountain Resources Conservancy (MRC), a Hill environmental group, increased pressure on Riverside County to shut down Paul Black’s water exportation business. More than 50 pages of documents were sent to the county in support of MRC’s charges that Black was illegally operating his company, Idyllwild Mountain Spring Waterworks.

5 years ago – 2007
Two small earthquakes, centered in Blackburn Canyon, were distinctly felt in Idyllwild. The first tremor measured 2.8 and the second 3.1.

1 year ago – 2011
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved a loan or advance of $450,000 to IFPD. The funds were to be repaid to the county from the district’s December and January property tax and special assessment payments.

Similar Posts

  • |

    Past Tense: August 4, 2016

    65 years ago – 1951 At a joint Chamber and Lions Club committee meeting, members announced plans for a community recreation program the Lions would fund. Plans included hiring a paid recreation director and installing  playground equipment. 60 years ago – 1956 A grand opening celebration was held for the new Richfield service station in…

  • |

    Past Tense: April 11, 2019

    70 years ago – 1949 More tracks of the mountain lion previously sighted around Ernie Maxwell’s cabin were spotted. The visitor seemed to be more curious than hungry. 65 years ago – 1954 Oscar Lawler, prominent Los Angeles attorney, donated his 80-acre estate in the Dark Canyon area to the county. The donation was made…

  • Past Tense – Nov. 7, 2013

      65 years ago – 1948 Halloween passed without a major mishap. One prankster painted white ribs on all the horses at the stables.   60 years ago – 1953 In the first official survey of bighorn sheep in the mountains, 141 were observed.   55 years ago – 1958 Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Carman…

  • Past Tense: Oct. 27, 2011

    60 years ago – 1951 The Idyllwild Chamber of Commerce endorsed county plans for a local building code. 55 years ago – 1956 The Town Crier threw a 10th-anniversary potluck celebration at Town Hall. Everyone was invited to come and “talk over old times and swap yarns about our beginnings on the Hill.” 50 years…