70 years ago – 1949
Twelve students were in the seventh-grade graduating class at Idyllwild School. Their teacher was Keith Sanberg.

65 years ago – 1954
Searchers were relieved when Jimmy Hartman, 3-1/2 years old, was found unharmed but cramped inside an abandoned ice box. He had been missing for eight hours.

60 years ago – 1959
Ruminating on the water shortage problem, Ernie Maxwell came to this conclusion: “By eliminating baths, clean clothes and dishwashing, there would be more water for important things like fishing.”

55 years ago – 1964
Margaret Humber donated the former library building to the Boy Scouts. It was to be moved to Camp Emerson.

50 years ago – 1969
Dr. Joseph Saetveit gave local Boy Scouts a shortwave radio demonstration. He made a “patch” hookup to American Samoa, and the Scouts were able to talk to their former school principal, Emsy Dunn.

45 years ago – 1974
The Bear Flag Festival, a four-day event, had events spread all over town.

40 years ago – 1979
A woodwind quartet concert scheduled at USC-Idyllwild was canceled because of the gasoline shortage.

30 years ago – 1984
At the Western Days parade and festival sponsored by the Idyllwild Chamber of Commerce, festival goers thrilled to a “Bank Robbery,” featuring the Hemet Valley Gunfighters.

30 years ago – 1989
At the Rotary’s Memorial Day weekend pancake breakfast, 150 pounds of pancake mix, 10 gallons of syrup, 32 pounds of butter, three cases of ham, 40 gallons of juice and 150 dozen eggs were used to feed attendees.
25 years ago – 1994
Idyllwild’s “Lilac Lady,” Reva Ballreich, was giving public tours of her lilac garden.

20 years ago – 1999
Idyllwild’s Ajax Rock coed softball team had a victory barbecue at Charley Clayton’s home to celebrate their championship in the Hemet Division I league.

15 years ago – 2004
Citing the light winter snowfall, Jerry Holldber, Pine Cove Water District general manager, explained the need to continue a Stage 2 water emergency status. He offered to provide wood chips for people to spread around outdoor plants in order to hold in moisture.

10 years ago – 2009
Three young men, Paul Rose, Matt Walker and Scott Williams, friends since high school, soccer players and self-professed “glee club nerds,” were using what they do best, singing and delivering a message, to raise money for disabled veterans.

5 years ago – 2014
A 46-year-old male suffered moderate injuries, including a fractured left leg, after falling about 50 feet while rock climbing Monday afternoon. Cal Fire hoisted the patient into Helicopter 301, which transported the rescued hiker to the Keenwild Forest Service station where American Medical Response then transported him to a nearby hospital.

1 year ago – 2018
The dedication of Idypark took place. Besides the flagpole and new stonework on the sidewalks, three young sequoias, which the Pine Cove Water District donated, completed the park setting.