Eleanor Park, named for the late Eleanor Johnson, in the early 1970s. The fountain was torn down and various restaurants resided in the center-of-town location until Dave and Loie Butterfield bought the property last year and had it razed to return it to a park. The couple will soon reveal what will be placed in the center of the park.
file photo

70 years ago - 1948

Saturday was designated Idyllwild Day at the County Fair and Date Festival. Idyllwild had a booth containing a chukker partridge and a ring-necked pheasant, plus samples of Pinecraft furniture.

60 years ago - 1958

More than a million visitors had flocked to the San Jacinto Mountains in 1957, according to Ranger John Gilman. This represented a 25 percent increase in tourism over 1956.

55 years ago - 1963

R.R. Welch announced plans for about 120 acres in the Stone Creek area for recreational developments. About $26,000 was allocated in the State Park budget for improvements at the new Stone Creek acquisition.

45 years ago - 1973

Idyllwild had a new author. “Burro Bill and Me” was released, written by beloved Edna Price. It was a lively reminiscence of her 10 years in Death Valley and the Arizona Strip with her late husband, Bill.

40 years ago - 1978

The first major snowstorm of the season dumped 10 inches of snow at Idyllwild County Park Visitor Center. It marked one of the latest “first snows” recorded in Idyllwild.

35 years ago - 1983

After being gone for 12 days, during which time a blizzard hit the Hill, a border collie, Abby, and cocker spaniel, Freckles, owned by Janet Fast and Gail Olsen, were found unharmed in the river bed at the foot of the Hill.

30 years ago - 1988

Mr. and Mrs. Edker Pope donated their home on Strawberry Creek in Fern Valley to the Elliott-Pope Preparatory School.

25 years ago - 1993

Hill resident Tim Millet received an award recognizing his dedication to the San Bernardino National Forest, San Jacinto Ranger District. Millet, a member of the Forest Service Volunteer Association, had donated more than 300 hours cleaning  campground and picnic areas.

15 years ago - 2003

Idyllwild teens Amye Scavarda and Katie Barnash brought home more than a dozen medals each from the Riverside County Academic Decathlon, won by Hemet High School for the fifth year in a row.

10 years ago - 2008

The first offical planning meeting for the Idyllwild Historic District was held at the Nature Center.

5 years ago - 2013

A significant step toward realizing the Idyllwild Community Center and the Butterfield Family Center was taken Feb. 11. The Mount San Jacinto Community Center board had been reformated.

1 year ago - 2017

Gophers contributed to a treated wastewater spill in Idyllwild Water District.