Bill Butler carved this totem pole on Highway 243 in 1948. In this photo, taken in 1972, the pole is located in front of Pine Cove Realty, no longer in existence. The pole, however, has lasted 66 years. File photo
Bill Butler carved this totem pole on Highway 243 in 1948. In this photo, taken in 1972, the pole is located in front of Pine Cove Realty, no longer in existence. The pole, however, has lasted 66 years.
File photo
TOTEM RETOUCHED: Antonio, the painter, repaints Shane Stewart’s totem pole on the east side of Highway 243 in Pine Cove on Monday. Bill Butler carved the pole in 1948 and it still stands today. (See past tense for an older photo.) Photo by Jay Pentrack
TOTEM RETOUCHED: Antonio, the painter, repaints Shane Stewart’s totem pole on the east side of Highway 243 in Pine Cove on Monday. Bill Butler carved the pole in 1948 and it still stands today. (See past tense for an older photo.) Photo by Jay Pentrack

65 years ago - 1949

Everyone was invited to the dedication ceremonies for the Atwater Kent Bowl on the grounds of the Idyllwild Arts Foundation.

 

60 years ago - 1954

The Jerry Johnson family was happily welcoming Air Force man Jim Johnson home to the mountains on furlough.

 

55 years ago - 1959

The District Court of Appeals denied a liquor license for the Idyllwild Inn. The Idyllwild Protective League had spearheaded opposition to the inn’s cocktail bar.

 

50 years ago - 1964

The Chamber of Commerce was making final preparations for an “old-fashioned pit barbecue” at the Town Hall campfire site. Tickets were $2.50 for adults and $1 for kids under 12.

 

45 years ago - 1969

Wearing a “Try Harder, Charlie Brown” sweatshirt, Paul McNally, 4, of Glendale was found unharmed by Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit searchers after being lost near Stone Creek for nine hours. The rescue was just one of three RMRU searchers made within a 23-hour period.

 

40 years ago - 1974

Idyllwild’s Soroptimist Club celebrated its first birthday.

 

35 years ago - 1979

Summer jobs for economically disadvantaged youth ages 14 to 18 were being offered at the county parks, Idyllwild Park Visitor Center, Town Hall and Anza Co-op. Pay was $2.90 an hour.

 

30 years ago - 1984

The Hemet Unified School District was moving forward on studies for a secondary school at the Jim Burn site in Garner Valley, but the plans were not without opposition.

 

25 years ago - 1989

About 800 people attended the Patriots Feast picnic and concert at the Robert E. Holmes Amphitheatre at ISOMATA. The concert was performed by the Idyllwild Master Chorale.

 

20 years ago - 1994

The Town Crier was purchased by Tindle Newspapers Ltd., an English company that owned about 70 newspapers in the United Kingdom.

15 years ago - 1999

History came alive at Idyllwild’s fourth-annual Historical Encampment held at Idyllwild Pines Camp. The five-day event featured re-enactments of Revolutionary and Civil War battles.

 

10 years ago - 2004

The Forest Service’s firefighting team on the Hill got bigger and faster with the addition of a Bell 407 helicopter stationed at Keenwild Guard Station in Mountain Center.

 

5 years ago - 2009

A major district-wide reduction would eliminate funding for middle-school sports for the coming school year. Saving $60,000, money for coaches, referees and travel had been completely cut.

1 year ago - 2013

Idyllwild House Publishing Co., Ltd., owned by Jack and Becky Clark of Idyllwild, purchased the Idyllwild Town Crier from Tindle Newspapers Ltd. of England. Becky had been publisher-editor from 1996 to 2009, and had worked at the newspaper for many years prior.