Past Tense: May 12, 2016

 

65 years ago – 1951

The Lions Club was making plans to construct a children’s playground adjacent to Town Hall.

60 years ago – 1956

It was Civil Defense Week on the Hill. Local stores were displaying emergency supplies and residents were asked to learn about being prepared for an emergency.

55 years ago – 1961

Rodney Welch revealed plans for a major development on the Banning-Idyllwild Highway. He owned about 1,000 acres in the Stone Creek area. The “town” was to be known as Alandale Pines (now called Stone Creek).

50 years ago – 1966

State game manager Bonnar Blong reported the local deer population was making a slow gain after the severe 1960-61 drought, which claimed about 75 percent of the animals.

45 years ago – 1971

David Hunt Sr.  assumed management of the Rustic Theatre. Admission prices were $1.50 for adults, $1 for students and 75 cents for children.

40 years ago – 1976

Demolition of Idyll-wild’s landmark Carriage Inn began.

35 years ago – 1981

Hillcrest Market in Strawberry Creek Square was advertising avocados for 25 cents each, bananas for 29 cents a pound and frozen meat pies at four for $1.

30 years ago – 1986

Founded by part-time Pine Cove resident Judi Sheppard Missett, Jazzercise classes were started in Idyllwild.

25 years ago – 1991

About 100 Garner Valley residents attended a meeting with developer Jeff Dennis at the proposed construction site of a 156-room lodge and a 200-space recreational vehicle park at the southern end of Garner Valley.

20 years ago – 1996

It was announced that the Idyllwild Arts Academy was offering a filmmaking major through a new department called the Department of Moving Pictures.

15 years ago – 2001

A new grass-roots organization was created on the Hill — the Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council.

                  

10 years ago – 2006

At a packed Chamber meeting, community members voiced heated opinions about whether the Chamber should continue managing Town Hall recreation. The Idyllwild Community Recreation Council was vying for the opportunity.

5 years ago – 2011

The ICRC Playground was placed on hold  due to lack of a Conditional Use Permit. Special permits requiring a certain distance from the highway and the use of the playground caused some difficulty for ICRC staff.

1 year ago – 2015

A spring snowstorm surprised residents of the Hill as 3 inches of snow covered the mountain near town, and more for those residents living at higher elevations. Pine Cove recieved 5 inches of snow, bringing on historic averages of rainfall and snow to the Hill for the first time in decades.