Past Tense: June 27, 2019

70 years ago – 1949
A public swimming pool was opened in the center of town on the site of the old Sportland.

65 years ago – 1954
Special events being planned for the Fourth of July included a Cowboy Rodeo, a Community Campfire and a Woodsman’s Breakfast.

60 years ago – 1959
The State Park Commission authorized the purchase of 300 acres for the expansion of Mt. San Jacinto State Park.

55 years ago – 1964
The County Road Department proposed that Tollgate Road be widened to 88 feet and have four lanes.

50 years ago – 1969
The Board of Supervisors approved changing the name of Dairy Road to Maranatha Drive. The road was originally named for a dairy that no longer existed.

45 years ago – 1974
Garner Valley’s newly completed equestrian center was set to stage a horse show.

40 years ago – 1979
A sheriff’s station was opened in Strawberry Creek Square.

35 years ago – 1984
Several Hill agencies were testing the new 911 emergency telephone number soon to go into effect in Riverside County.

30 years ago – 1989
It was announced that cable television would soon be available to most Hill residents.

25 years ago – 1994
Dora Dillman and Heather MacPherson, members of the Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit, took part in team helicopter training.

20 years ago – 1999
The volunteer team leaders of the three local fire lookouts received special awards from the U.S. Forest Service for their work in re-establishing the Fire Lookout program. Awards were presented to Pam Morey, Black Mountain Lookout; Doug Wood, Tahquitz Peak Lookout; and Eileen Phillips, Red Mountain Lookout.

15 years ago – 2004
Idyllwild Garden Club featured the Primary Garden at Idyllwild School and four other gardens during the club’s garden tour.

10 years ago – 2009
Folk were encouraged to put on their dancing shoes and get ready to swing and jitterbug as Ken Dahleen and his Big Band Staff opened the 10th anniversary edition of the Idyllwild Summer Community Concert Series at the Idyllwild Community Center site.
5 years ago – 2014
The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit to force the federal government to determine whether each of nine species was endangered. Among the nine was the San Bernardino flying squirrel, a native to the local Southern Californian mountains.
1 year ago – 2018
Ken Dahleen and his Big Band Staff opened season 19 of the Idyllwild Summer Concert Series with a patriotic tribute to the Fourth of July and songs from Broadway and the movies.