65 years ago – 1947 Postmaster Harry Wendelken lamented, “There’s Idyllwilds all over the country, and all the mail for the other Idyllwilds comes to this station.” 60 years ago – 1952 Wilma Chapman was conscientious about the change to standard time. She set her clock resolutely, and hopped into bed. In the darkness of…
60 years ago – 1952 Extra game wardens were assigned to the mountains as deer season opened. A record crowd of hunters was anticipated. 55 years ago – 1957 Don and Thelma Frey, Cay Long, Jim Long, Paul Voss, and Chuck and Jo Slaback completed training and qualified as ham radio operators. 50 years…
60 years ago – 1952 Enrollment when Idyllwild Elementary School opened in the fall was 72 students. 55 years ago – 1957 Deer season opened on a quiet note with 68 bucks taken on the first weekend. District Ranger John Gillman reported the opener was one of the quietest on the Forest Service record….
65 years ago – 1947 Village folk and summer residents alike turned out for the official opening and dedication of the new community building. 60 years ago – 1952 Joe and Leona McGaugh purchased the Idyllwild Market from Harold Sanborn and Bob O’Donne. 55 years ago – 1957 Thirteen hybrid Coulter-Jeffrey pines were counted…
55 years ago – 1957 Pine Dell Estates was a new development in town, just below the village on National Forest Highway [aka Highway 243]. 50 years ago – 1962 It had been 75 days since the last measurable moisture. High temperature for the week was a sizzling 96 degrees. • • • With…
65 years ago – 1947 Fifty people gathered at Dutch Flat to witness the christening of a well for the Idyllwild Water Company. At the first gush, cameras clicked and everyone clapped. • • • Eleanor Johnson had a project underway — to turn the circle in the center of town into a village…
65 years ago – 1947 August rainfall was already 3.72 inches. Average for the whole month in recent years had been running 1.23 inches. • • • Lightning struck more than 80 times in this section of the National Forest during an August thunderstorm. Only five of the strikes, however, turned into fires. Because of…
65 years ago – 1947 The Idyllwild School District faced a crisis. There wasn’t enough room to accommodate the anticipated enrollment of 125 kids. • • • “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” starring Tyrone Power, Don Ameche and Alice Faye, was luring customers to the Rustic Theatre. 60 years ago – 1952 More than 100 people…
65 years ago – 1947 Fern Valley Garage advertised “Expert Repair Service, Greeting Cards, Gift Wrappings.” • • • Electric power was on its way to Pine Cove. Plans for a line from the Idyllwild Substation had been started prior to the war but were curtailed because of shortages. 60 years ago – 1952…
65 years ago – 1947 A new telephone service was inaugurated, offering six trunk lines to Hemet. 60 years ago – 1952 Paul and Mary Gormley were manning the lookout post at Ranger Peak. During the rest of the year, the Gormleys worked as cook and butler for a family in the San Francisco…
