70 years ago – 1949
The newly formed lake on the Banning-Idyllwild Highway was officially named Lake Fulmor in honor of Alex C. Fulmor, county planning commissioner and surveyor whose mission and ingenuity played a prominent part in the realization of the highway.

65 years ago – 1954
Desert Sun School held commencement exercises for the first class to be graduated from the high school. Seven students received diplomas.

60 years ago – 1959
The new Scenic Trail above Idyllwild was dedicated with a ceremony by county officials.

55 years ago – 1964
Plans for Idyllwild’s first major apartment complex were announced by two Orange County developers. They called for a 102-unit complex on Tollgate Road.

50 years ago – 1969
Byron J. Walters was fined by the California Public Utilities Commission for contempt of the commission’s orders to remedy the water system of the Tahquitz Lake Water Company. Pursuant to another commission order, the Pine Cove County Water District had taken over operation of the water system.

45 years ago – 1974
“Godspell” was playing at the Rustic Theatre. Admission was $2 for adults, $1 for children.

40 years ago – 1979
A statewide Highway Patrol sickout in protest of a 10.5-percent pay increase proposal resulted in almost no traffic citations being written over the weekend in Riverside County. Officers were seeking a 20.6-percent raise.

35 years ago – 1984
Betty Jandl was giving a class on “Advanced Microwave Cooking” at Town Hall.

30 years ago – 1989
A proposal to build a sheriff’s station in Idyllwild was presented to Riverside County Sheriff Cois Byrd at a Town Hall meeting by the Pine Cove and Fern Valley property owners associations.

25 years ago – 1994
The nationwide fad of collecting and trading POGs, silver-dollar-sized circular cardboard chips with a design on one side, had reached Idyllwild. School officials had to ban them from campus because of the disruption they caused.

20 years ago – 1999
Idyllwild Pizza Company was packed for two shows by Fritz Coleman, TV weatherman and stand-up comedian.

15 years ago – 2004
In a week’s time, three vehicles were found over the side of the mountain on Highway 74 toward Hemet. Two contained the remains of drivers who perished in the crashes.

10 years ago – 2009
About 250 past locals who grew up in Idyllwild, also known as “hillbillies” and “townies,” as well as their families, arrived from all over the nation over the weekend to enjoy the first Idyllwild Reunion, also known as IdyllFest 09.

5 years ago – 2014
Speaking at an Idyllwild Conversations meeting, Dr. Richard Minnich made it clear that he believed the Hill was still very vulnerable to another large and devastating wildfire because the forest was too dense and the town had too much vegetation.

1 year ago – 2018
The Art Alliance of Idyllwild added 28 new deer and one coyote to the existing herd.