65 years ago – 1948 Fern Valley residents were about to vote on a $250,000 bond issue to purchase the Fern Valley Mutual Water System. 60 years ago – 1953 A team of forestry insect experts from the U.S. Bureau of Entomology toured the district and reported that the local National Forest area was in…
65 years ago – 1948 Fire quickly burned more than an acre on the mountainside below Suicide Rock. The snow was too deep to allow pumpers to get close to the fire. 60 years ago – 1953 ISOMATA was growing fast. Enrollment was expected to reach 500 students and the 40 faculty members would equal…
65 years ago – 1948 The proprietor of Thorn’s General Store, Pine Cove, advertised, “I’ll sell you stuff if you’ll hunt me up. It’s too cold to be at the store every day.” 60 years ago – 1953 Ernie Maxwell was a member of the snow crew team that trekked Tahquitz Valley to complete the…
65 years ago – 1948 With the Southern California Council of Camera Clubs about to visit the Hill, local folks were urged to look as “mountainy and picturesque” as possible. 60 years ago – 1953 Dan Slanker, founder of the local American Legion Post 800 in 1948, was honored at Hillbilly Lodge by fellow members….
65 years ago – 1948 For the PTA Founders’ Day tea, mothers were asked to bring pennies to match their age. They were permitted, however, to bring them wrapped and to deposit them when no one was looking. 60 years ago – 1953 Mike Michelson fell from an oak tree. An ominous hum from the…
65 years ago – 1948 Saturday was designated Idyllwild Day at the County Fair and Date Festival. Idyllwild had a booth containing a chukker partridge and a ring-necked pheasant, plus samples of Pinecraft furniture. 60 years ago – 1953 Emsy Dunn’s class, studying California history, went panning for gold in Strawberry Creek. All the students…
65 years ago – 1948 The two-man Forest Service staff, Ranger Don Bauer and Fire Control Assistant Bill Hersh, hiked six hours to Martinez Mountain to check a fire started when a P-80 military jet crashed and exploded. 60 years ago – 1953 The American Legion picked a site between Idyllwild and Mountain Center for…
65 years ago – 1948 The Town Crier reported that lots of kids in town had chicken pox. 60 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.” 55 years ago – 1958 Bill…
65 years ago – 1948 Idyllwild’s barber Bert Playle moved away, leaving local men mourning. There were still three beauty operators to take care of the ladies’ hair. 55 years ago – 1958 Despite property owner protests, county supervisors approved plans for a Girl Scout Camp near Saunders Meadow. 50 years ago – 1963 Lou…
65 years ago – 1948 Idyllwild was deciding if it should join the Hemet School District. 60 years ago – 1953 Martin Aguirre was in charge of the Lions Club project to raise funds for recreation equipment at Town Hall. Plans called for developing a playground adjacent to the building. 55 years ago – 1958…
