65 years ago – 1949

With funds raised by the ladies of the Community Presbyterian Church, volunteers were preparing to shingle the roof of the manse.

60 years ago – 1954

Hemet and Idyllwild citizens joined forces to protest a proposal of the U.S. Cement Corp. to construct a $3 million plant in Diamond Valley. The plan called for trucking limestone down the Hill from a quarry near the Pines-to-Palms Highway.

55 years ago – 1959

Thomas Mountain proved the most popular deer hunting ground as the season opened with more than 2,000 hunters registered on opening weekend.

50 years ago – 1964

A film called “The Truth About Communism” was presented at the Anza Community Hall.

45 years ago – 1969

The Idyllwild Civil Defense Organization was seeking residents who owned station wagons or pickup trucks that could be used for transporting people or supplies in case of an emergency.

40 years ago – 1974

After 16 years as a “cottage meeting” of the Episcopal Church, St. Hugh’s was accepted as the first diocesan mission of the San Diego diocese.

35 years ago – 1979

The Jim Snell Memorial Ambulance Fund passed the $10,000 goal but the fund drive continued to raise money needed to help pay for a new ambulance for Idyllwild Fire Protection District and outfit it with emergency equipment.

30 years ago – 1984

For the first time in its history, the Idyllwild Elementary School added an afternoon kindergarten class to handle bulging enrollment.

25 years ago – 1989

Hill residents said goodbye to an era when one of Idyllwild’s most famous landmarks, the 180-foot Ponderosa Pine in the middle of South Circle Drive, was cut down due to its succumbing to pine beetle infestation.

 20 years ago – 1994

An anti-censorship group, People for the American Way, filed a lawsuit against the Hemet Unified School District to challenge sex education curriculum approved by HUSD’s trustees.

15 years ago – 1999

A $3,000 reward was being offered for information leading to the arrest of the persons responsible for burgling local businesses over the month.

10 years ago – 2004

Idyllwild local Herb Jeffries received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to musical performance.

5 years ago – 2009

Bill Whitman of Idyllwild and Lee Piche of Idyllwild and Temecula, who had just returned from “down under,” had tales to tell of bad beginnings and narrow escapes from their competition in the 2009 ITU World Championship Triathlon Grand Finals held in Queensland, Australia.

1 year ago – 2013

Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation that required vehicle drivers to overtake and to pass bicyclists at a distance of a minimum of 3 feet, to become effective Sept. 16, 2014.