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Past Tense: January 5, 2017
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60 years ago – 1951 Residents reported ice one morning when the temperature dropped to the 30s. 55 years ago – 1956 About 300 people jammed Town Hall to vote on zoning for the Idyllwild area. After a stormy discussion, a zoning plan was adopted by a 5-to-1 majority. 50 years ago – 1961 Bids…
Editor: It was a stirring sight to see so many Idyllwilders on the street last week waiting for a reported invasion of looters from “Off the Hill.” I spoke to one local on guard outside his business who said his wife was terrified at home in anticipation of the attack. Another local also told me…
65 years ago – 1946 Mrs. Huston at the Cedars Cafe in Fern Valley beside Strawberry Creek advertised that she wanted to trade a lawn mower for snowshoes. • • • At Sanborn’s Market in the village, coffee was selling for 35¢ a pound, 5 pounds of potatoes was 19¢ and short ribs were 29¢…
65 years ago – 1948 A surprised carpenter, visiting from Pomona, won a new Ford in the Gold Strike celebration. His winning ticket was pulled from the 4,750 sold. 60 years ago – 1953 A three-man survey crew headed into the hot wilderness to determine the number of bighorn sheep in game refuge 4-D. 55…
55 years ago – 1957 Pine Dell Estates was a new development in town, just below the village on National Forest Highway [aka Highway 243]. 50 years ago – 1962 It had been 75 days since the last measurable moisture. High temperature for the week was a sizzling 96 degrees. • • • With…
70 years ago – 1950Because of the increasing mountain population and the heavier downstream needs, it was estimated that the community would soon need an another 7 billion gallons of water. 65 years ago – 1955After receiving a $4,000 appropriation for campground improvement, District Ranger John Gilman, U.S. Forest Service, began planning an improvement program,…