The Museum
The Museum of the Idyllwild Area Historical Society is located in a charming cabin at 54470 North Circle Drive, and the quaintness of the surroundings encourage you to step right in.
The cabin and garage were built in the 1930's and the cabin is representative of the architectural style of many early bungalows built in Southern California. For most of its life the cabin housed one family. In a period lasting almost 60 years, three generations spent their summers exploring the many hiking trails, horseback riding in the forest, and wading in the cool waters of Strawberry Creek.
Today, the Museum displays many historical artifacts that reflect the richness and diversity of this region, from Early Cahuilla Indians, early ranchers, pioneer lumber barons, the tourist trade, vacation cabins, and organized summer camps. Numerous photos and documents are displayed and tell the story of Idyllwild and the interesting characters who made it possible.
You are invited to the Museum to discover the fascinating history of the surrounding mountain communities. Admission is free and donations are always welcome. |
A Brief History of Early Idyllwild
Idyllwild was once the summer home for bands of Cahuilla Indians, who escaped the heat of lower elevations to hunt game and to gather acorns and other plants. A Cahuilla legend recounts how tribesmen chanted over the body of their fallen chieftain Tahquitz, or Takwus, who had been possessed by an evil spirit and killed his sweetheart. Suddenly his body began to glow like fire, and he rose and settled on Idyllwild's Tahquitz Rock. According to the legend, Tahquitz is trapped beneath the rock with a rattlesnake and a condor for company, and when the mountain shakes and trembles, it is not an earthquake, but Tahquitz up to his evil tricks on Lily Rock.
Idyllwild was known originally as Strawberry Valley because of the wild strawberries that grow there, especially beside the creek that runs through the town, Strawberry Creek. Shepherds regularly brought flocks to the valley for summer grazing, especially the Domenigoni Family of San Jacinto Valley, who in the early 1880's homesteaded land in the lower valley.
In 1876 a toll road was built from Hemet, which opened Idyllwild to settlement, logging and tourism. In 1890, George and Sarah Hannahs opened a commercial camp on the site of today's village center and named it Camp Idylwilde. They established a post office in the lower valley in 1893, called "Rayneta" for their son, Raymond. In 1901, the post office was moved to the village site and its name changed to Idyllwild.
Also in 1901, the Idyllwild Sanatorium was built to treat tuberculosis patients. It was soon remodeled as a hotel, burned down, and was rebuilt in 1905 as a resort called Idyllwild-Among-the-Pines, and later, simply the Idyllwild Inn. After 1917, its new owners, principally Claudius and Zelma Emerson, subdivided and sold as vacation lots, the land that became today's Idyllwild village.
|
