70 years ago – 1948

The Town Crier reported that lots of kids in town had chicken pox.

65 years ago – 1953

William Courtney, a Los Angeles attorney, addressed the Chamber of Commerce. He promised to tell “How to Keep the Government and a Wife on One Income.”

60 years ago – 1958

Bill Miller, Chamber of Commerce president, was chosen to dial the first call as Idyllwild switched to dial phones. The prefix for Idyllwild was OLive, “O” is the “6” key and “L” is the “5” key, i.e., “65-”    

55 years ago – 1963

Skip Willhite of Mountain Center had an awful time. He fell while gathering turkey eggs, slipped a disc in his back and was bitten in three places on his arm by a black widow spider. He survived.

50 years ago – 1968

The mountain chickadee led as the most numerous species in the annual bird count. A total of 59 species were counted by the 16 people who took part in the annual Audubon Society’s winter census.

45 years ago – 1973

Ray and Virginia Garner entertained at their first open house in their new home, Xanadu, near Inspiration Point. A chamber music quartet played with Henri Temianka on first violin.

40 years ago – 1978

Among the choices for renters in Idyllwild was a two-bedroom home with a utility room and fireplace for $250 per month.

35 years ago – 1983

The County Road Department placed 25 signs on the Hill warning people not to park in snowplow routes. They were placed at nearly every road leaving Highway 243 from Mountain Center to Marion Ridge Road in Pine Cove.

30 years ago – 1988

Idyllwild’s Frank Ferro was chosen to play the lead male role in the Ramona Outdoor Play.

25 years ago – 1993

Dick and Beatrice Fellows were enjoying a quiet evening at home on Pine Crest Avenue when high winds blew over a tree that smashed their truck.

20 years ago – 1998

Keeping up a family tradition, Rebecca Lynn Luna was Idyllwild’s first baby of the new year. Her first cousin, Isabella Rose Gioeli, was Idyllwild’s first baby of 1997.

15 years ago – 2003

Idyllwild’s soccer team, the Tidyll Waves, won their championship game. They became the 2003 AYSO Soccer Area N Champions.

10 years ago – 2008

The fledgling Idyllwild Fire Protection District Fire Cadet program was looking for teen applicants to train as future firefighters.

5 years ago – 2013

Jan. 31 was Laurie Rosenthal’s last day as the San Jacinto District ranger. Involving the public in the management of the district’s natural resources was her guiding principle since assuming the district ranger position 11 years prior.

1 year ago – 2017

A visitor to the U.S. Forest Service’s Humber Park was injured sledding on the snow. Once he was found, rescuers requested Cal Fire’s helicopter to remove the victim rather than try to carry the person out in the deep snow.