Published March 28, 1958, this photo shows the original Idyllwild Post Office, located in the building currently occupied by the Candy Cupboard and Idyllwild Beauty Salon and Family Hair Care. The caption reads: “The Idyllwild Post Office is the gathering spot for weekenders and residents alike, when the morning mail comes in. It is the traditional center of casual community activities where friends meet to talk or make a coffee date. On the Post Office porch is a community bulletin board upon which are advertised everything from reducing machines to relaxing gadgets to the desire for the return of a lost pet.” Photo credit Gray/Idyllwild Town Crier

65 years ago – 1948
As the Lions entertained in honor of their daughters, Ernie Maxwell contributed a chalk talk on “Feminine Fashion.”

60 years ago – 1953
Two bald eagles were frequenting the Foster Lake area.

55 years ago – 1958
The Chamber of Commerce listed public restrooms among its study projects for the year.

45 years ago – 1968
Members of the Idyllwild Youth Club served a spaghetti dinner to raise funds for Town Hall improvements.

40 years ago – 1973
Admission prices at the Rustic Theatre were $1.50 for adults, $1 for students and 75 cents for children.

35 years ago – 1978
General Telephone officials said they would pump $4 million into their Hemet switching office serving the mountain area. Long-distance calls jumped more than 56 percent from 4.7 million calls in December 1975 to 7.3 million in December 1977.

30 years ago – 1983
It was formally announced that Desert Sun School would change its name to the Elliott-Pope Preparatory School.

25 years ago – 1988
A campaign to raise $15,000 for the planned Idyllwild-area emergency radio station was launched by three service organizations — the Soroptimists, Lions and Rotary.

20 years ago – 1993
Business owners and motorists were kept guessing as to why about 100 sheriff’s deputies dressed in black with weapons surrounded a vacant building. The Emergency Services Team of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department was conducting a practice hostage scenario.

15 years ago – 1998
About 200 people attended a champagne reception to celebrate the grand opening of the Idyllwild Gallery of Fine Art.

10 years ago – 2003
Idyllwild residents hugged in the lobby of Riverside’s County Administrative Building when Paul Black was denied his Conditional Use Permit for the water exportation business he operated. The county had estimated that Black was exporting 28,000 gallons of water a day from his land.

5 years ago – 2008
It was announced that Idyllwild School Principal Emily Shaw would be moving on to be principal at Hemet High School.

1 year ago – 2012
About 150 Hill residents attended a community meeting about a significant recent rise in local property crimes.

Similar Posts

  • Past Tense: Jan. 10, 2013

    65 years ago – 1948 At the Idyllwild Dairy, Liz, a 7-year-old Guernsey, hit a maximum yield of 11 gallons of milk per day. 60 years ago – 1953 A single-engine Navy Sky Raider crashed into the mountain, killing its pilot. The plane was one of four flying a routine night flight. It became separated…

  • |

    Past Tense: June 25, 2020

    70 years ago – 1950 Census counted 604  permanent residents in  Idyllwild, Mountain Center and Pine Cove.  65 years ago – 1955 Chamber of Commerce trustees met with California Telephone Co. officials regarding complaints by local business people that they were unable to make off-the-Hill calls. A request was made for more trunk lines.  60…

  • |

    Past Tense: June 13, 2019

    70 years ago – 1949 The newly formed lake on the Banning-Idyllwild Highway was officially named Lake Fulmor in honor of Alex C. Fulmor, county planning commissioner and surveyor whose mission and ingenuity played a prominent part in the realization of the highway. 65 years ago – 1954 Desert Sun School held commencement exercises for…

  • Past Tense: May 18, 2017

    65 years ago – 1952 A meeting was announced to consider school unification. Under the proposal, Idyllwild’s school would be combined with the Hemet-San Jacinto District. 55 years ago – 1962 Logging trucks started rolling into May Valley, where the Big Bear Timber Company began salvage operations on pines damaged by severe insect attack. About…

  • |

    Past Tense: January 9, 2019

    70 years ago – 1950 The Idyllwilders Square Dance Club rested its dances until spring. 65 years ago – 1955 The village was crowded with people when the first good snowstorm of the season hit. The Town Crier reported that people “piled out of cars and into snowbanks, heaving snowballs at their friends.” 60 years…