70 years ago – 1951
The Chamber of Commerce, working on a community recreation program, was raffling off a brand new Chevrolet to raise money for Town Hall.
65 years ago – 1956
The first tour of mountain homes was sponsored by the Idyllwild Community Church Guild. Among the tour homes were Florence Schisler’s High Castle overlooking the entire Strawberry Valley and C. Selden Belden’s cabin full of his Pinecraft furniture.
60 years ago – 1961
Swimming lessons were started at the village pool at the Idyll-hof.
55 years ago – 1966
A contract was signed between the Idyllwild Chamber of Commerce and Riverside County for administration of the community’s service area that had been adopted the previous December by the county Board of Supervisors.
50 years ago – 1971
Lemon lilies in bloom were being studied by Dorothy Bryant’s nature study group. At the time, Bryant was the writer of the Town Crier’s “Flora, Folks & Fauna” column.
45 years ago – 1976
Dr. Jonas Salk was in Idyllwild to attend a special exhibit of paintings by his wife, Françoise Gilot, at the Cedar Tree Gallery.
40 years ago – 1981
History came alive at ISOMATA’s (now Idyllwild Arts Academy) 11th-annual Early Music & Recorder Workshop featuring Renaissance pageantry.
35 years ago – 1986
From Town Crier advertisements for local stores: butter for $1.69 a pound, a gallon of low-fat milk for $1.69, bananas at 5 pounds for $1 and a carton of cigarettes for $8.99.
30 years ago – 1991
Scholarship funds earned by the Endowment Fund of the Associates of Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts were awarded for the first time.
25 years ago – 1996
The new library, on Pine Crest Avenue, was dedicated. The Idyllwild Library had previously been located at Fern Valley Corners.
20 years ago – 2001
The Chamber of Commerce’s shuttle bus service averaged 100 riders a weekend.
15 years ago – 2006
The Caine Learning Center opened its facility on Upper Pine Crest Avenue.
10 years ago – 2010
A capacity crowd seeking answers on the county’s assumption of recreation management in Idyllwild confronted the County Service Area 36 Advisory Committee. The packed meeting produced little satisfaction for attendees, whose frustration grew because county representatives were absent.
5 years ago – 2016
An alternative school, known at various times as Hi-Lo Alternative and at others as LIFE (learn in freedom education), celebrated its 40th class reunion.
1 year ago – 2020
Idyllwild Arts hosts its virtual Jazz in the Pines festival, with performances from across the country.
