Idyllwild Town Crier

The newspaper published its first issue as The Town Crier on Friday, November 1, 1946.^[1] The paper was founded by married couple Ernie and Betty Maxwell, a visual artist and a former Broadway dancer, who moved to the town in 1944 during a post-war boom in logging and tourism. The paper was published from their house until at least 1949.^[2][3]

Ernie Maxwell continued as editor/publisher until 1957 when he sold it to devote more time to writing and cartooning. The new owners were Mark Clevenger, former editor of the Sun-Post, and I.G. Rosen, of Gilroy, who became the paper's general manager.^[4] In 1972, Luther and Marilyn in Weare acquired the paper. At that time the 16-page weekly tabloid had a circulation of 2,000.^[5][3] In 1977, Betty Maxwell died.^[6]

In May 1978, the Weares sold the Town Crier to L.B. and Dorothy Hunsaker.^[7] In May 1989, the Hunsakers sold the paper to Chronicle Publishing Company, publisher of the San Francisco Chronicle.^[8][3] The Town Crier changed corporate hands in 1994 when it sold to England-based Tindle Newspaper Group.^[9][3] Also in 1994, Ernie Maxwell died.^[10]

Two decades later, the paper returned to private ownership when wife-and-husband Becky and Jack Clark acquired it in June 2013. Publisher Beck Clark was the paper's the longest serving employee.^[11][12][3] Around 2017, the paper changed from a freesheet to a membership model.^[13] In 2024, Suzanne Avalon bought the paper from the Clarks.^[14]

• Official website
• Idyllwild Town Crier at issuu