Past Tense: Oct. 31, 2019

70 years ago – 1949

Directors of the Idyllwild Chamber of Commerce voted to “reforest” the San Jacinto Mountains with Sequoia Giganteas.

65 years ago – 1954

Idyllwild Beauty Shop advertised, “Fall tints for your tresses,” offering tint colors “maple red,” “oakleaf russet” and “alder gray.”

60 years ago – 1959

Dr. Max Krone was in Germany acting as director of music for the U.S. Army schools in Germany, France and Italy.

55 years ago – 1964

Chamber of Commerce membership stood at 446, of which 82 were business memberships.

50 years ago – 1969

County Administrator Robert Anderson urged Idyllwild to incorporate.  

45 years ago – 1974

Seventeen people were running for eight water board vacancies. A Town Crier editorial commended the “public-spirited citizens” for running for positions which were “unpaid, time-consuming, often thankless jobs.”

40 years ago – 1979

After a six-month search, another physician was found for the mountain area. Dr. David H. Reid of Weston, Massachusetts, a family practitioner for more than 30 years, declared his intention to move to the Hill as soon as possible.

35 years ago – 1984

The Hemet Unified School District governing board announced it would hold meetings in the Idyllwild and Anza communities in an effort to solicit more public input on the location of a proposed mountain-area school.

30 years ago – 1989

Nearly $2 million worth of fine cars — 25 Ferraris — were in Idyllwild when members of the Ferrari Owners Club from  Los Angeles stopped for lunch.

25 years ago – 1994

The Pine Cove Water District Board of Directors voted to form a lease agreement with the Idyllwild Lions Club for refurbishing the ballfields located at Dutch Flat, which were jointly owned by the Pine Cove Water District and the Idyllwild Water District. The fields had been closed down eight years previously.

20 years ago – 1999

Local fisherman “Grandpa Duncan” caught a 21-pound catfish from the shore of Lake Hemet. He was on a roll, having recently caught a 23-pounder and a 20-pounder.

15 years ago – 2004

As firestorms and high winds intensified across Southern California, Southern California Edison cut off electricity to the mountain communities for more than 24 hours.

10 years ago – 2009

Gary Busher, local volunteer coordinator for the Second Harvest Food Bank, distributing the first Tuesday of every month at the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, said the number of residents using the program had grown by nearly 50% in recent months.

5 years ago – 2014

Lawrence Allen Edwards, 45, of Idyllwild, was charged with embezzlement from the Mountain Quilters of Idyllwild, in a felony complaint filed by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.

1 year ago – 2018

Idyllwild resident and pianist Michael Staff performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City.