In this photo published Nov. 27, 1975, Ernie Maxwell, Town Crier founder, fashions a turkey for Thanksgiving and that weekend’s Harvest Festival at Town Hall. This year’s Harvest Festival takes place after Thanksgiving and is still held at Town Hall. File photo

65 years ago – 1946
The E.H. Kincaides bought the Cole house nearing completion on the corner of River Drive.

60 years ago – 1951
Building started on the new Idyllwild Motel, a 10-unit structure on Pine Crest behind La Cantina.

55 years ago – 1956
An Arabian horse show climaxed Palm Springs’ Western Week. Mary Nelson of Idyllwild was chair of the show, with Claire Woodmouse assisting.

50 years ago – 1961
The Alandale Water Company filed articles of incorporation in Sacramento to supply water service of approximately 900 acres in the vicinity of Stone Creek.

45 years ago – 1966
After a 34-year search, Mrs. Elbert McKissack of Mountain Center located her mother in a Cleveland suburb. McKissack had been raised by foster parents.

• • •

Mac and Paddy McClenahan of Anaheim came to the Hill for a vacation and ended up buying Singingwood Motel.

40 years ago – 1971
Vandals broke into the Idyllwild Elementary School, stealing a broken pair of scissors and the secretary’s apple.

• • •

A cold month of October ended with the temperature dipping to 11 degrees. Idyllwild also saw a second dusting of snow.

• • •

Highway 243, the Banning-Idyllwild Highway, was transferred to the state. Previously it had been part of the Riverside County Road System.

35 years ago – 1976
Legal questions on some wording in the draft REMAP were requiring county counsel’s opinion. The questionable paragraph attempted to protect unconforming areas under the new plan.

30 years ago – 1981
Phil Hodges, Gordon Lee and Bill Whitener were elected to the three positions on the Idyllwid Fire Protection District Board of Commissioners. Bruce Adams was re-elected to another term as a trustee on the Hemet Unified School District Board.

25 years ago – 1986
A 3.1 earthquake centered 18 miles southwest of Palm Springs and a 3.2 earthquake centered 19 miles west of Palm Springs were both felt on the Hill the same day, Nov. 3.

20 years ago – 1991
More than 800 people joined in the carnival on Halloween night. Plans were to make it bigger for the next year.

15 years ago – 1996
Idyllwild residents voted down the controversial Measure Q, a parcel fee to suport a recreation center on the Hill.

10 years ago – 2001
A 5.1 earthquake centered 10 miles southeast of Anza hit just before midnight Oct. 30.

5 years ago – 2006
Chamber of Commerce 1st Vice President Geoffrey Caine announced James Campbell as the new Director of Town Hall Recreation. Campbell was unanimously choosen from a pool of applicants to replace Bob Lewis who had recently accepted a position with Riverside County.

1 year ago – 2010
Mountain Disaster Preparedness (MDP) staged its first ever night exercise at the Disaster Aid Station on Saunders Meadow Road, near Astrocamp.

Similar Posts

  • |

    Past Tense: November 16, 2017

    70 years ago – 1947 “Hurricane Force Winds Leave Idyllwild in a Shamble,” screamed the Town Crier’s page-one headline. The George Thomas Cedar, oldest tree on the mountain, was uprooted. 65 years ago – 1952 Heavy rains in Hemet almost flooded the Armistice Day parade, which included a float entered by the Idyllwild PTA. James…

  • Past Tense: July 26, 2012

    60 years ago – 1952 Capt. Carmen Durrance, international president of NIP, was on the Hill. NIP stands for Not Important People. The organization was founded on April Fool’s Day.   55 years ago – 1957 Work started on Bluebird Hill Lodge, which was planned to be Idyllwild’s most elaborate motel. A children’s playground, a…

  • Past Tense: August 21, 2014

    65 years ago – 1949 Ernie Maxwell and Martin Aguirre headed a group to plant trout fingerlings in the back country.   60 years ago – 1954 Local residents voted in favor of zoning for Idyllwild. A new classification, R1-A, was adopted for guest cottages rented with kitchens.   55 years ago – 1959 Tahquitz…

  • Past Tense: Sept. 13, 2012

    65 years ago – 1947 Village folk and summer residents alike turned out for the official opening and dedication of the new community building.   60 years ago – 1952 Joe and Leona McGaugh purchased the Idyllwild Market from Harold Sanborn and Bob O’Donne. 55 years ago – 1957 Thirteen hybrid Coulter-Jeffrey pines were counted…

  • Past Tense

    75 years ago – 1948 At long last, a suitable place was found for a mountain branch of the county library — a small building on the Fern Valley Lodge property. Volunteer librarians were being sought. 70 years ago – 1953 Sierra Club members of the rock-climbing division again tackled Tahquitz Rock. Several new routes…