Past Tense

The late Bob Gray with his precipitation gauge. For many years, Bob recorded temperature, rain and snow faithfully and conscientiously. He was the town’s best weather prophet. File Photo — The late Bob Gray with his precipitation gauge. For many years, Bob recorded temperature, rain and snow faithfully and conscientiously. He was the town’s best weather prophet.
File Photo

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 were in town from San Marino. Not once in 40 years had Mr. Carman missed climbing to Tahquitz Peak.

50 years ago – 1963

County supervisors sent plans for a 66-foot right-of-way for Circle Drive back to the Planning Commission after receiving protests from Idyllwild residents who asked that the road be kept the same width.

45 years ago – 1968

Idyllwild County Water District purchased an acre-and-a-half from USC-ISOMATA as a site for a treatment plant.

40 years ago – 1973

Edna Price, author of “Burro Bill and Me,” spoke at the annual encampment of the Death Valley ’49ers, an organization dedicated to keeping alive the memory of the pioneers who crossed the valley.

35 years ago – 1978

A 14-year-old Boy Scout from Westminister died in the first snowstorm of the season. Members of his troop were caught unprepared by the 26-hour storm that dumped 3 feet of snow on their campsite in the wilderness area above Idyllwild.

30 years ago – 1983

Hemet Unified School District (HUSD) officials appealed the U.S. Forest Service’s decision to deny the HUSD request to purchase more acreage for a Garner Valley school.

25 years ago – 1988

While developers of the proposed Skyline Retreat in Idyllwild were filing an environmental impact report with the county, both Idyllwild and Pine Cove property owners associations sent letters to county officials expressing their concerns about the project, which proposed a 120-room hotel and 168-seat restaurant on Strawberry Creek.

20 years ago – 1993

Hill residents Ronnie Pierson and Bob Baker roped 16 strands of Christmas lights and the star to the 80-foot town Christmas tree.

15 years ago – 1998

To celebrate the fifth year of the Idyllwild Pizza Company, owners Ken and Cheryl Dahleen hosted a big anniversary bash. They put up a huge tent with a stage and dance floor for Ken’s 17-piece swing band.

10 years ago – 2003

Idyllwild’s Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council presented Riverside County’s reverse 911 phone calling system to be used to notify citizens of emergency events.

1 year ago – 2012

The non-native Goldspotted Oak borer that killed more than 80,000 oaks in San Diego County was identified in an Idyllwild oak.