The Idyllwild Library had a full house on Tuesday night, September 24,
for IAHS archivist Bob Greenamyer as he took listeners on a trip through
our local history. All the familiar names and places took on new meaning
as he added details and connections between them. Older residents put in
their two cents, and the evening ended with a lively round of “then and
now,” as attendees matched old photos to present-day landmarks or
remnants.

Greenamyer brought visual aids, a slide show and a table full of
artifacts from the IAHS Museum archive. These included a map of the
first projected development of our valley (with a lake in the present
day Banana Belt), a wooden cutting-board menu form the old Chart House
restaurant, and the mimeograph machine that Ernie Maxwell used to crank
out the first issues of the Town Crier, and more.

The talk began with a question to the audience: how long have you been
here? Only a few hands went up for “under a year,” and the last hand up
was for over 60, in fact 63 years. Greenamyer’s presentation was based
on his own five years in the archives, having been tutored by Bob Smith.
Much of the material was familiar to those who have been to the Museum
and read Smith’s Idyllwild and the High San Jacintos. We saw the work of
Avery Field, who sold post cards and had a photo shop here in the 20s
and 30s, before E.B. Gray opened shop.

The talk sped from the Indigenous inhabitants to the lumber barons and
land developers, a period that covered only a generation. We heard about
partnerships and rivalries, businesses that flourished and failed, and
landmarks that burned down with alarming regularity.

Along with the severe faces peering out of the century-old photos a few
amusing stories emerged: We heard that back in era of day-long
stagecoach rides from Hemet to the first resort on the hill, these
journeys were livened up by a cleverly staged “robbery,” with armed
actors relieving tourists of their valuables, which were returned to
them on arrival at their lodgings.