Idyllwild
Idyllwild was once the summer home for bands of Cahuilla Indians, who migrated to the area to escape the heat in the desserts below.  Originally called Strawberry Valley because of wild strawberries that grow there (look for them at Fern Haven) especially along Strawberry creek that runs along the property and right through town.  In 1901 the name was officially changed to Idyllwild.
From the mid to late 1800s (as the sheep herders and cattlemen summered their cattle and sheep in what is now know as Garner Valley and the campus of Idyllwild Arts Academy) the woodsmen came to clear cut the mountain's huge old growth pine and cedar trees to be milled on site and shipped by horse or oxen-drawn wagons down the steep grades to be made into railroad ties and crates for oranges.  Followed then by entrepreneurs who built the hotels, eateries and even a long lost golf course.
Much more of the history can be found at the local Historical Society located on North Circle.

         THE BUNKHOUSE AT IDYLLCREEK                           

           Fern Haven
Fern Haven is located at 6200 feet on the original half acre of property given as a wedding gift to C C Hooper and his wife  Winnette, by his grandfather in 1921.  The cabin, built by C C and a Mexican helper three years later, was built in the Olde Idyllwild style and kept virtually unchanged since that ground breaking day. Mrs. Hooper made it clear that all materials were to be gathered and milled from the property  and not brought in from down the mountain.
Built as a summer house, the Hoopers-being "horse people", brought their horses up from San Jacinto in early spring and remained until the first snow each year.  Part of the original horse coral is now a horse shoe pit area.
The house still retains an original oxen yoke (converted into a chandelier)-dated 1881) that was tied to the front of Grandpa Hooper's 1915 automobile as he moved from Texas to California after striking it rich in oil discovered on his property.
The cabin gets it's name from the ferns that come alive in the spring and fill the property with it's greenery.

         The Bunkhouse
The Bunkhouse, built in the 1930s as a garage with a bedroom, bath and kitchen above, is located on the upper side of the property, in a sunny area that -at times-feels like it is in a different time zone  than the shaded main house.  In 2006 the garage was converted to the gorgeous living area and bath it is today, while keeping the same Olde Idyllwild theme alive, down to the massive beams used in the ceiling, staircase and window trim.