Ruth Olive “R.O.” Maier was the new Idyllwild librarian in January 1975. According to her obituary in 2010, “She worked as the school librarian at Desert Sun School in Idyllwild, Calif., and was then the head librarian of the Riverside County Library in Idyllwild, where Sam [her husband] was the pastor of the Idyllwild Community Presbyterian Church.” She was 91 when she passed.File photo
Ruth Olive “R.O.” Maier was the new Idyllwild librarian in January 1975. According to her obituary in 2010, “She worked as the school librarian at Desert Sun School in Idyllwild, Calif., and was then the head librarian of the Riverside County Library in Idyllwild, where Sam [her husband] was the pastor of the Idyllwild Community Presbyterian Church.” She was 91 when she passed. File photo
60 years ago - 1956

The Christian Science Church was being built on Cedar Street.

55 years ago - 1961

Keith Froelich hiked 86,992 feet while measuring the trails within the State Park Wilderness area.

50 years ago - 1966

As a result of a new county ordinance banning burning dumps, then-County Supervisor Floyd McCall announced that a public cut-and-fill dump would replace the open-burning pit used by the community for several decades. The U.S. Forest Service made 20 acres of public land available for the facility, which was to be maintained by the County Roads Department.

45 years ago - 1971

Ma Poates, Idyllwild pioneer and mother of Eleanor Johnson (for whom Eleanor Park was named), died at the age of 93.

40 years ago - 1976

After having changed their minds a couple of times, members of the Pine Cove Property Owners Association voted to petition the County Board of Supervisors to approve a Municipal Advisory Commission for Pine Cove.

30 years ago - 1986

Cindy Allert celebrated her 10th anniversary of ownership of the Idyllwild Beauty Shop at a surprise party, which her employees organized. Today, Allert is still at the helm after 40 years.

25 years ago - 1991

A team of seven Idyllwild ham radio operators from  the local Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services organization conducted a simulated earthquake exercise to test their readiness for a real emergency.

20 years ago - 1996

Riverside County approved Idyllwild Arts Foundation’s 10-year master plan, which included plans for a new 30,000-square-foot dormitory, a 16,000-square-foot library, a painting studio, an exhibition building, a theater and a headmaster’s residence.

15  years ago - 2001

Idyllwild streets were quiet as townspeople tried to cope with feelings of shock and anger after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center buildings in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

10 years ago - 2006

A hiker was lost for four days in the Mt. San Jacinto State Wilderness. Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit volunteers eventually found him, but only after a heavy storm interrupted their search for a day.

5 years ago - 2011

Jerry Buchanan and longtime resident Larry Donahoo easily won the fire commission seats up for election.

1 year ago - 2015

Gail (Hai Fang) Qi, founder and longtime owner of Far East Gifts, sold her business after 20 years.

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