65 years ago – 1950
Hill motorists, children and inexperienced horsemen “unaccustomed to city streets” were warned to be careful during the busy vacation time.
60 years ago – 1955
The first San Jacinto Mt. Wilderness Horseman’s Play Day, involving many local riding clubs, was a major success.
55 years ago – 1960
Plans were approved for the construction of a new and larger post office on Idyllwild Inn Road, south of Village Park.
50 years ago – 1965
An Idyllwild woman, Emily Tancredi, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to charges of setting fire to a North Circle Drive house.
45 years ago – 1970
Peter Dangermond Jr., director of the Riverside County Department of Parks, announced plans for park improvements and expansions in the Idyllwild area, such as upgrading Hurkey Creek and McCall parks.
40 years ago – 1975
A fire that started from a leaking propane tank completely destroyed a $25,000 Pine Cove home. A county fire truck from the Pine Cove Station, plus two state trucks, five trucks from the U.S. Forest Service, one battalion chief, one USFS PPT and one USFS helicopter responded to the alarm.
35 years ago – 1980
A $655,000 construction bid for an extensive pipeline project within the Fern Valley Water District was awarded to T.A. Revard, a Los Angeles-based contractor. Already underway was the construction of the largest water storage tank on the Hill.
30 years ago – 1985
A temporary plan for the Idyllwild Transfer Station was approved by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.
25 years ago – 1990
Despite July rains that dropped 2 inches of water on the Hill and seemed to abate the drought-like conditions, Idyllwild Water District declared a Stage 3 water shortage emergency.
20 years ago – 1995
In response to two complaints that the Hemet Unified School District was teaching creationism as science, Superintendent Stephen Teele proposed implementing a district-wide policy on science instruction.
15 years ago – 2000
The Chamber of Commerce was interested in selling Town Hall, but feedback from the community was overwhelmingly negative. A petition was drafted to “Save Town Hall.”
10 years ago – 2005
Hemet High School student and pitcher Travis Leavitt was selected as a member of the Los Angeles Times Desert/Mountain all-region baseball team.
5 years ago – 2010
New Idyllwild Postmaster Kelly Gates was sworn into office. The ceremony, attended by more than 50 people, was held at Mark Taylor’s Idyllwild Dance Studio and a luncheon at Town Hall followed.
1 year ago – 2014
The new president of the Idyllwild Arts Foundation, Pamela Jordan, was from Chicago. She came here familiar with the campus and town, prepared to lead the institution forward in the 21st century.
