The first conservation group at Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts in 1952. Town Crier founder and conservationist Ernie Maxwell is at left. File photo
The first conservation group at Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts in 1952. Town Crier founder and conservationist Ernie Maxwell is at left.
File photo

65 years ago – 1951 

Television was coming to the Hill, and folks were not attending meetings as they had been. Jay Gifford, civic worker, commented at the Log Cabin, “It’s gotten that I’m afraid not to go to meetings in the evening for fear they’ll say, ‘Oh, he got television!’”

60 years ago – 1956 

Members of the government class at Desert Sun School journeyed to the Hollywood Bowl to hear President Eisenhower speak.

55 years ago – 1961 

Members of the new board named Clarence Bischof president of the Idyllwild Chamber of Commerce.

• • •

A troupe from Mirisch Pictures ended an extensive stay here while they filmed the Elvis Presley film “Kid Galahad.” There had been minor weather problems but a film spokesman commented, “We have to expect some problems when we shoot summer stories in the fall or winter.”

50 years ago – 1966 

Riverside County closed its local building office because of low construction in the area.

45 years ago – 1971

Not known to be fond of cats and dogs, Emax nevertheless declared that at Thanksgiving this year he was grateful for cats because they killed rats.

40 years ago – 1976

Ex-Idyllwilder Peggy Dobler came up for a Town Crier autograph party celebrating publication of her poetry book, “Sincerely Peg.”

35 years ago – 1981 

The $3.2 million Idyllwild-area sewer project came one step closer to reality when local water officials voted to put up money for launching the project’s design phase.

30 years ago – 1986

Eminent domain was officially dropped from the proposed Idyllwild Redevelopment Plan because of opposition voiced at a Town Hall meeting.

• • •

The drilling of a horizontal well in Pine Cove was approved by the Pine Cove County Water District board.

25 years ago – 1991 

The season’s first snow on Thanksgiving Friday caused 16 vehicle collisions.

20 years ago – 1996 

Mt. San Jacinto College was going to offer 16 classes on a variety of topics, from algebra to English, at the Idyllwild-Pine Cove Community Center.

15 years ago – 2001 

A missing  local teen was found buried in a shallow grave in a wooded area of Pine Cove.

10 years ago – 2006

Several enviromental groups, led by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), have sued the U.S. Forest Service for rejecting their comments on the recently approved Forest Plans for Southern California forests – Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres and San Bernardino.

5 years ago – 2011

The Coyote Creek segment of the San Jacinto Fault network, the most active fault network in Southern California, erupted at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18 and was felt throughout much of the county. The epicenter of the 3.9 magnitude quake was 5.9 miles east of Borrego Springs.

1 year ago – 2015

With all the warnings that the approaching El Niño weather pattern and its accompanying rains will be greater than the 1997-98 rainfall, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors hasd adopted a proclamation of local emergency.

Similar Posts

  • |

    Past Tense: June 11, 2020

    70 years ago – 1950 The town was filled with movie stars as Audie Murphy and Marguerite Chapman headed up the cast for “Kansas Raider,” which was filmed on Garner Ranch.  65 years ago – 1955 Representing a dozen different countries, students from Pasadena City College spent a weekend on the Hill.  60 years ago…

  • Past Tense: October 20, 2016

    60 years ago – 1956 Hill Republicans and Independent voters turned out 134 strong to the Dwight Eisenhower birthday party at the Hillbilly Lodge. Featured speaker was Loyd Wright Sr., president of the American Bar Association. 55 years ago – 1961 The Tahquitz Lake Golf Club opened to capacity business. 50 years ago – 1966…

  • |

    Past Tense: January 21, 2016

    65 years ago – 1951 Twenty-four men, representing areas from Thomas Mountain to Pine Cove, were taking training as members of the Emergency Auxiliary of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. 60 years ago – 1956 “The Cattle King,” starring George Montgomery and Marcia Hendrickson, was being filmed at the Garner Ranch. Part of the action…

  • Past Tense: May 23, 2013

    65 years ago – 1948 A cold wave caused temperatures to drop to 23 degrees. 60 years ago – 1953 Woodland Park Manor held an open house, inviting the community to inspect its completely furnished units. Accommodation rates were $10 to $15 per couple. 55 years ago – 1958 Ernie Maxwell’s mother, Maude Maxwell, was…

  • Past Tense: July 7, 2011

    60 years ago – 1951 A county road crew installed sidewalks and curbs downtown. 55 years ago – 1956 Actress Marjorie Main, best known for her role as “Ma Kettle,” bought a lot on Dickenson Road. 50 years ago – 1961 A touch of the Old West livened the 4th of July weekend as ropers…