Past Tense: July 27, 2017
65 years ago – 1952
Capt. Carmen Durr-ance, international president of NIP, was on the Hill. NIP stands for Not Important People. The organization was founded on April Fool’s Day.
60 years ago – 1957
Work started on Bluebird Hill Lodge, which was planned to be Idyllwild’s most elaborate motel. A children’s playground, a coffee shop and glassed-in brunch rooms were promised. Dr. Trestin Harris was the owner.
55 years ago – 1962
Fish and Game Department surveyors found a large lamb crop among the bighorn sheep in the Santa Rosa Mountains. The ratio was 42 lambs observed per 100 ewes.
50 years ago – 1967
Mickey Regal and Lora Steere, with others, climbed to Tahquitz Peak. At one point, Mickey’s legs went mushy. But some passersby reassured her: “If you fall, you know you’ll be killed, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
45 years ago – 1972
A fire of incendiary origin burned 200 acres in May Valley, 2 airline miles south of Idyllwild.
• • •
As Idyllwild had earlier, Pine Cove placed limitations on the use of water during the shortage.
35 years ago – 1982
More than 100 people participated in a Renaissance pageant at USC-Idyllwild.
25 years ago – 1992
The Idyllwild Clinic celebrated its first year on the Hill.
20 years ago – 1997
The Historic Idyllwild house was finally removed from the property of Idyllwild School. It had been named Zo House after the previous owner, Mary Zo Judson.
10 years ago – 2007
Gov. Arnold Schwar- zenegger proclaimed a state of emergency. Schwarzenegger highlighted the drought damage to the water supply for people, as well as $4 million in crop losses.
5 years ago – 2012
Jennifer Gee became the new director of the University of California James Reserve north of Idyllwild.
1 year ago – 2016
Idyllwild Water District filed a $50,000 lawsuit against its own director, Steven Kunkle.
