Past Tense: May 6, 2021

70 years ago – 1951
The Lions Club was making plans to construct a children’s playground adjacent to Town Hall.

65 years ago – 1956
It was Civil Defense Week on the Hill. Local stores were displaying emergency supplies and residents were asked to learn about being prepared for an emergency.

60 years ago – 1961
Rodney Welch revealed plans for a major development on the Banning-Idyllwild Highway. He owned about 1,000 acres in the Stone Creek area. The “town” was to be known as Alandale Pines (now called Stone Creek).

55 years ago – 1966
State game manager Bonnar Blong reported the local deer population was making a slow gain after the severe 1960-61 drought, which claimed about 75% of the animals.

50 years ago – 1971
David Hunt Sr. assumed management of the Rustic Theatre. Admission prices were $1.50 for adults, $1 for students and 75 cents for children.

45 years ago – 1976
Demolition of Idyll-wild’s landmark Carriage Inn began.

40 years ago – 1981
Hillcrest Market in Strawberry Creek Square was advertising avocados for 25 cents each, bananas for 29 cents a pound and frozen meat pies at four for $1.

35 years ago – 1986
Founded by part-time Pine Cove resident Judi Sheppard Missett, Jazzercise classes were started in Idyllwild.

30 years ago – 1991
About 100 Garner Valley residents attended a meeting with developer Jeff Dennis at the proposed construction site of a 156-room lodge and a 200-space recreational vehicle park at the southern end of Garner Valley.

25 years ago – 1996
It was announced that the Idyllwild Arts Academy was offering a filmmaking major through a new department called the Department of Moving Pictures.

20 years ago – 2001
A new grass-roots organization was created on the Hill — the Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council.

15 years ago – 2006
At a packed Chamber meeting, community members voiced heated opinions about whether the Chamber should continue managing Town Hall recreation. The Idyllwild Community Recreation Council was vying for the opportunity.

10 years ago – 2011
The ICRC Playground was placed on hold due to lack of a Conditional Use Permit. Special permits requiring a certain distance from the highway and the use of the playground caused some difficulty for ICRC staff.

5 years ago – 2016
Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation raising the legal age to smoke in California from 18 to 21 years. The exception is active-duty military personnel who may smoke at age 18.

1 year ago – 2020
According to San Bernardino National Forest, two healthy eaglets were estimated to be born at Lake Hemet and were banded, which helps keep track of movement and the eagle’s life span.