06.07.2012 - Idyllwild Town Crier

Town talk
By Dolores Sizer
Did you vote in the primary today
Who is your favorite candidate
John Stonitsch
Shop owner
Idyllwild
“Yes, I am voting in the
primary, but have no favorite
candidate.”
Dessa Thompson
Retail sales
“I have already mailed in
my ballot and didn’t have
a favorite candidate at this
time. But I’m definitely
“No” on [Proposition 29].”
Steve Coarthwaite
Retired
Banning
“I voted this morning and
was only voting for the issues.”
Oliver Lee
Student
Los Angeles
“No, I’m not voting in
the primary eleciton and
certainly have no favorite
candidate.”
At its May 30 meeting,
Idyllwild Rotary President
Chuck Streeter
(right) presents a gift to
Bob Smith, historian
at the idyllwild Area
Historical Society, for
being the group’s guest
speaker.
Photo by Steve Espinosa
Idyllwild’s SMASH! …
With playground construction underway at
our future community center, it’s appropriate
to recall the Wright family compound that
occupied the site for more than a half-century.
Before 2008, you may have noticed a cluster
of abandoned structures on the property.
These included a lodge and two cabins for family members,
tiny quarters for domestic help, a caretaker’s cottage, a
green barn and attached shop, a tennis court, and an empty
swimming pool with adjoining bath house. Scattered about
the property were traces of abandoned shuffleboard, badminton,
and handball courts, plus a horse corral down on
the flat beside Strawberry Creek, near the charred remains
of what was once a guest cabin.
Bordering Highway 243 was the only building left in
use, a former garage converted to a real estate office, its
upstairs recreation room left accumulating trash. And the
caretaker’s cottage near Ridgeview Drive would briefly house
the Chamber of Commerce office and visitors center.
The source of this cluster takes us back to the 19th century
and San Jacinto Valley, where Loyd Wright was born
and raised. After graduating from the USC law school in
1915 at age 22, he married Julia Kingsbury and returned to
Hemet to launch a career. They moved to Los Angeles in
1920, but bought the Idyllwild acreage for a future family
retreat.
Their growing family prompted them to build the main
lodge at Idyllwild in 1924. It was completed in time for Julia
and the children, Loyd Jr. (“Moose”), Pauline, Clarissa and
Dudley, to begin spending summers here. Loyd Sr. commuted
on weekends from his burgeoning law practice.
As time passed additional cabins were built for use
Wildland fire ethic …
May and June see lots of clean-up work
as people on the mountain make sure their
homes meet fire safety codes and are ready
for inspection.
For those of us sensitive to fire issues,
it’s great to see people removing the leaves,
needles, and branches that fell during the winter, taking out
the occasional dead tree, and cutting the weeds that have
been growing since the weather turned warm. Most people
who live or own property here understand the importance
of this activity and attend to it regularly, knowing it is
necessary for their own safety, as well as the community
in general.
Some are less regular but still do it when they are
reminded, or see what their neighbors are doing. Some
are delayed by circumstance — illness, emergencies, travel
— but get around to it when they are able. Most people
know they should do it and don’t let it go late into summer.
So all in all, most people on the mountain make their
properties fire safe. They understand why it is necessary.
Before our time
By Robert B. Smith
Fire and forest
Idyllwild Town Crier, June 7, 2012 - Page 7
The interior view of Moose Lodge, showing the fireplace and
built-in desk mentioned in the column. in November 2006.
Photo by Lynn Voorheis
of the Wrights’ children’s families. Loyd Jr.’s was dubbed
“Moose Lodge,” while “Cedar Lodge” mainly served Pauline
and Dudley. The recreational facilities were communal. The
swimming pool even served the girls at Peak & Pine Camp
across the creek, before that camp had its own.
See Before our time, page 26
By Mike Esnard, Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council president
They know we live on a mountain surrounded by a large,
dry forest, and that large, destructive fires are endemic to
southern California. They know that over the last decade
we have had terrible fires close by.
They know that whether houses are destroyed in fires
depends to a large extent on the vegetation surrounding the
house. They know that raking their needles and removing
the deadwood won’t guarantee that their house will survive
a large wildland fire, but they know it increases their
chances.
They also know their property looks better without the
forest detritus (most of us like parks). They also know that
heavy vegetative screens, like a thick wall of manzanita or
cedar trees, in addition to being a fire hazard, may provide
privacy, but can also hide burglars. They know that a lot
of pests and animals can hide in thick cover, and while we
all love to see a deer now and then, we really don’t want
a lot of animals and insects setting up shop next to our
house.
Most people on the mountain know the dangers of strong
wind in a forest, and very much like to not have dead trees
See Fire & forest, page 26
STUMP
GRINDING
Dave Sandlin
(951) 659-3528
trudybaludy@yahoo.com
www.trudylevy.org • 659-9548
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