Past Tense: August 15, 2019
70 years ago – 1949
Jim Wellman displayed a 140-pound mountain lion, the 30th one he had killed in the mountain region since he began trapping as a boy.
65 years ago – 1954
The Idyllwild School of Conservation and Natural Science had 130 students enrolled for the summer session. The students were constructing log dams on Strawberry Creek to provide better fishing.
60 years ago – 1959
Rita Hayworth and her husband were weekend guests at the Bluebird Hill Lodge. Hayworth’s daughter, Yasmin, was attending a local summer camp.
55 years ago – 1964
Principal Emsy Dunn announced that Idyllwild School would have five new teachers for the fall session. Three new classrooms were being constructed. Some classrooms were rented until the ones being constructed were ready.
50 years ago – 1969
Town Hall completed a new outdoor stage, replacing a battered structure that had served the community for 20 years.
45 years ago – 1974
“Jesus Christ Superstar” was showing at the Rustic Theatre. Admission was $2 for adults and $1 for children.
40 years ago – 1979
U.S. Forest Service officials opened the drain at Lake Fulmor to begin an extensive renovation project that would include dredging the lake bottom and repairing erosion.
35 years ago – 1984
Betty Jandl was the winner of the commemorative Olympic Coin Set in the drawing held at the Hemet Federal Idyllwild office.
30 years ago – 1989
A four-part redevelopment plan to solve Idyllwild’s parking problems was approved by county supervisors.
25 years ago – 1994
A lightning strike was blamed for a grass fire that ignited near Anza and shut down Highway 74 for more than a day. More than 1,150 acres burned around the Santa Rosa Indian Reservation.
20 years ago – 1999
Idyllwild Arts received a $500,000 grant from the California Community Foundation to help complete the Max and Bee Krone Memorial Library.
15 years ago – 2004
The Art Alliance’s Dazzling Dessert Art Tour combined local culinary skills from restaurants all over the hill with local art talent.
10 years ago – 2009
One-hundred butterflies bedazzled onlookers with their colors during the annual Butterfly Daze at the Idyllwild Nature Center. They were released in the late afternoon. Vendors also sold arts and crafts, and participants were invited to partake in art projects.
5 years ago – 2014
Many mountain yellow-legged tadpoles released the previous summer in two local creeks survived the winter, but the drought and disease appeared to have taken a toll on the surviving population.
1 year ago – 2018
The directors of the Pine Cove Water District clearly stated that consolidation with the Idyllwild Water District is not a viable path for them any time in the foreseeable future.
