60 years ago – 1956 

The newly organized Pine Cove County Water District planned to ask voters to approve a $110,000 bond issue to purchase facilities and make improvements.

55 years ago – 1961 

Town Crier interviewed Victoria Brooke, daughter of Charles and Genoveva Thomas, the first white settlers in the mountains. Mrs. Brooke recalled that her father acquired his Garner Valley ranch property for 200 head of cattle.

• • •

A microwave reflector was being installed on South Ridge to expand telephone facilities between Hemet and Idyllwild. The project was part of a nationwide “passive repeater” system to provide long-distance transmission without the use of lines or power.

45 years ago – 1971

Jeane Joy received birthday greetings from President Nixon. It was a mystery to her how he knew her birth date.

• • •

Ed Emmel was appointed to the Idyllwild Fire Protection District Board of Commissioners. He replaced Milo Hefferlin who did not seek another term on the board.

40 years ago – 1976

Word was received that Martin Aguire had celebrated his 90th birthday at his San Jacinto residence. A former Idyllwilder, Mr. Aguire held the distinction of being the first subscriber to the Town Crier.

35 years ago – 1981 

A hearing was set for consideration of a public use permit application for Mile High Recovery Inc., a halfway house for teenage alcoholics and drug addicts, on Country Club Drive.

30 years ago – 1986

Nearly 2,000 people attended the three-day 20th-annual Harvest Festival sponsored by the Idyllwild Rotary Club at Town Hall during Thanksgiving weekend.

25 years ago – 1991 

A tropical storm that brought with it wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour left nearly half the Hill without power for many hours on Sunday and Monday.

20 years ago – 1996 

An Aguanga woman was convicted of second-degree murder of her three toddlers who had died when a methamphetamine lab in her home exploded almost a year earlier.

15 years ago – 2001 

Idyllwild Fire Chief Tim Gustafson was reminding residents to dial 911 for emergencies and not to call the fire station directly.

10 years ago – 2006

A new line of fence posts marked the start of construction of the Idyllwild Dog Park at Idyllwild Pines Camp. The Idyllwild Community Recreation Council project was expected to be completed by Christmas for the enjoyment of Hill dogs and their people.

5 years ago – 2011

Doug Austin, familiar to Idyllwild audiences for his performance as Charles Dickens, brought an insight into Dickens’ opinions and views on important social issues at the Idyllwild Community Recreation Council’s Speaker Series event.

1 year ago – 2015

Mary Lehman went to the Greek island of Lesbos, just south of the Turkish coast, to assist refugees arriving from Syria and Iraq.