Merrilyn Orr of Pine Cove at the November 1973 Rotary Club Harvest Festival. The collection of handcrafted sales in Town Hall had become a third-year tradition. File photo
Merrilyn Orr of Pine Cove at the November 1973 Rotary Club Harvest Festival. The collection of handcrafted sales in Town Hall had become a third-year tradition.
File photo

65 years ago – 1950

Plans were set for a reforestation project along the highway near the dump. Idyllwild School children were going to assist in planting.

60 years ago – 1955

Throughout the holidays, carolers were traveling around the Hill in a horse-drawn wagon with tinkling sleigh bells.

55 years ago – 1960

Clearing and excavation started for the elaborate tourist and vacation spot of the Tahquitz Lake Motor Lodge and Golf Club facilities, adjacent to the nine-hole course northwest of Idyllwild.

50 years ago – 1965

The Tahquettes girls’ club scheduled a joint meeting with the Idyllers car club to discuss future policy and supervision for teen dances held at the community building.

45 years ago – 1970

In a Town Hall meeting, a Forest Service plant pathologist explained what was being done to measure the extent of air pollution damage to Southern California forests, including the San Jacinto Mountains.

40 years ago – 1975

The California Highway Patrol was considering taking legal action against the Hemet Unified School District because of incidents of alleged school bus overcrowding on mountain runs.

35 years ago – 1980

The Pine Cove Volunteer Fire Department arranged for Santa to visit Pine Cove children in their homes. Interested parents were asked to call the fire department and schedule a time.

30 years ago – 1985

The body of a hiker lost for more than a month was found in the San Jacinto Wilderness. He apparently froze to death.

25 years ago – 1990

The Property Rights Organization filed a complaint in California Superior Court in response to a Riverside County Board of Supervisors’ vote to enact an interim-zoning ordinance for the Hill.

20 years ago – 1995

Funding for the purchase of a Gordon Plaza building as the new location for the library was approved by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.

15 years ago – 2000

The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto mountains were dedicated as a national monument in a celebration that dignitaries, including Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack, attended.

10 years ago – 2005 

Riverside County 3rd District Supervisor Jeff Stone awarded the Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council $12,000 to construct a storage building.

5 years ago – 2010

The San Gorgonio Pass Area California Highway Patrol once again gave toys to local children from low-income families as part of its 12th-annual CHiPs for Kids Toy Drive.

1 year ago – 2014

Joel White won the Idyllwild Elementary School’s 2014-15 Spelling Championship by correctly spelling “wicked.”

Similar Posts

  • |

    Past Tense: April 14, 2022

    75 years ago – 1947The U.S. Forest Service reported the insect situation had become critical in the Idyllwild area. Warm weather added another hatch of bugs and 750 trees were infected. 70 years ago – 1952The season’s rainfall totaled 43 inches.• • •Town Crier saluted Denis Evarts Bowman as one of Idyllwild’s most distinguished citizens….

  • |

    Past Tense: July 29, 2021

    70 years ago – 1951Hikers from the Pathfinder camp experienced a near-tragedy when lightning knocked them to the ground while descending San Jacinto Peak. 65 years ago – 1956The Norman Roys of Garden Grove purchased 9 acres of the Pauley Ranch off Delano Road, and announced plans to build a “deluxe trailer park” named Roy-L…

  • Past Tense: July 25, 2013

    65 years ago – 1948 With a net profit of almost $4,000 from the Gold Strike, the Idyllwild Chamber of Commerce paid off a $1,500 note to the bank, borrowed to help build Town Hall. 60 years ago – 1953 Forty members of the Camp Pendleton Marine Band performed at the Community Campfire. 55 years…

  • Past Tense: November 13, 2014

    65 years ago – 1949 A group of volunteer searchers plucked a lost deer hunter out of the rugged North Fork canyon just as he was about to spend his second night in freezing weather without food.   60 years ago – 1954 The Izaak Walton League honored its Woodsmans Breakfast crew for a year…

  • |

    Past Tense: October 29, 2020

    70 years ago – 1950The Idyllwild Lions Club pledged to buy an extra U.S. Defense Bond in tribute to the 40th Infantry Division. 65 years ago – 1955About 85 people comprising the cast and crew of a western production being filmed by Universal-International made headquarters at the “Inn” after shooting scenes in the May Valley…

  • |

    Past Tense: January 23, 2020

    70 years ago – 1950 Plans for the new Community Church were being drawn up. 65 years ago – 1955 The Rustic Theatre was playing “Cattle Queen of Montana,” starring Barbara Stanwyck and Ronald Reagan. 60 years ago – 1960 Temperatures in Idyllwild hit a five-year low. Idyllwild Dairy reported a reading of 5 degrees….