Cast of Characters, Chapter 4:
The Tidwells.
Pine Mountain Club would likely be a very different place if the Tidwells had not arrived in the early’70’s—- almost at the very beginning. Chuck and Marge Tidwell had two children: Pat, with then -husband Ray Shirley, and Tom (Tommy), who met and married his wife Barbara while living in PMC. Chuck, Marge, and Tom were the first permanent residents of the community, and Pat and Ray moved there a few years later. All of the family, including spouses, were Realtors. Chuck and Marge were members of the sales team Tenneco hired to sell property in PMC before a single house was built. All of the family eventually worked for Broker Dave Peters at Pine Mountain Real Estate, in the building that now is Jennings Realty, facing Mil Potrero Hwy. (Pine Mt. Realty is a different business). Most of the homes sold in the early years of PMC were sold by the Tidwells. Commissions were generally 10% then, with a portion of it going to the Broker on every sale. They sold a lot of lots and houses, many more than once. They worked hard, made good money when business was booming, scraped by when business took a down-turn (as it inevitably does) and earned every dime they made.
Chuck, Marge and Tom first lived in a small cabin on Sandalwood Drive, across Mil Potrero Hwy from where the Clubhouse is now. Tom bought a cabin (boxcar-style) on Birchwood, and his Mom and Dad sold the cabin and bought what was then the largest home in PMC -- a six-bedroom single-story home, with a huge living room, a fabulous view of the golf course and mountains, and a full-size walk-in Jacuzzi spa/pool in the master bedroom. It was right next to the Clubhouse, on Beechwood Way. They lived there for several years, then sold it when declining health forced them to move off the mountain. Not long after the new owners moved into the house, on a Thanksgiving night, the big house burned to the ground. The double lot remained bare for a couple of years or so, until a new owner built the large home that stands there today. Chuck told me, and many others, that a compelling reason to sell the original big house was because PMC-POA built the two-story pavilion/pro-shop next to the then-existing pool, and the pavilion blocked a large portion of their view!
Chuck and Marge did not drink-- Chuck was a recovering alcoholic (no secret), but it was also no secret that they did enjoy smoking pot from time to time (NOT at work). When I worked in Brentwood, they would show up unannounced after stopping at the ice cream store next door, with a bucket (each) of Pralines & Cream, munching away in the front seat of their big Lincoln. Although they didn't drink, the PMC house had a large fully-stocked bar that was always open to friends and clients. They also had a tradition of an annual Texas-style barbeque, with free food and drink for everyone. At those barbeques we met PMC residents that we didn't even know existed, and wouldn't see again until the next year's party! Chuck also kept several jerry-cans of gas in his garage (before the gas station was built) to help out anyone who forgot to fill up before heading up the mountain.
From the beginning, PMC did not have a restaurant or a bar. (there was a small snack bar at the Clubhouse - hamburgers, sandwiches, etc. // Events at the Clubhouse utilized a small portable bar for BYOB). In 1975, Chuck decided that the time was ripe to build a restaurant/bar in the Village Center.(A lot next to the General Store was designated on the development plan as a restaurant.) With financial backing from Dave Peters, and a design from Fred Westlund, The Apache Saddle Restaurant was built (where The Perch is now)
https://thenearbyfarawayplace.blogspot.com/2013/03/apache-saddle-part-1.html
https://thenearbyfarawayplace.blogspot.com/2013/07/apache-saddle-part-ii-seasonal-license.html
There are many more stories to be told about the Tidwells and Pine Mountain Club. Many members of this group undoubtedly will share some of those stories. They were very generous to us, and treated us like Family. Many, many of the good things about PMC as a community are due to people like the Tidwells, who came at the very beginning, and left a legacy that endures. Chuck, Marge, and Tom are all gone now. Hopefully, some will continue to remember.
Tom, Marge, Dave Peters, Chuck
