The stunning mountain town with no ski resort, no stoplights, no Starbucks – and where a dog named Max is mayor
A small California mountain town has become a popular destination because it stands out from other tourist attractions in the area.
Located in the San Jacinto Mountains about a two-hour drive from Los Angeles and with a population of just 4,000, Idyllwild has no ski resort, no Starbucks and no traffic lights. SF port reported.
Chris Perreault, a 30-year resident and volunteer at the Idyllwild Area Historical Society, told the outlet, “I really think that’s what we like. We like being small. We like being different. We like not being big.”
But what’s even more unusual about the town is that it’s run by a young golden retriever.
Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller III, also known as Mayor Max, is the third official animal mayor of Idyllwild.
Phyllis Mueller, 72, and her husband, Glen Warren, 59, serve as the mayor’s chiefs of staff and caretaker.
Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller III, also known as Mayor Max, is the third official animal mayor of Idyllwild, California
Phyllis Mueller, 72, and her husband, Glen Warren, 59, serve as co-chiefs of staff and caretaker to the mayor
Max’s appointment is part of a tradition that began in 2012, when a group called Idyllwild Animal Rescue Friends started a fundraising campaign to elect a mayor without any human candidates.
“We don’t have any local politicians, except for Mayor Max. If we want something done, we form a group and we get it done,” Mueller said. The Hollywood Reporter.
Local political decisions in the unincorporated town, nestled in the San Jacinto Mountains that tower above Palm Springs, are made by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.
“The mayor is out in public every day and on weekends. We just do kind and loving things for people. But we do it all day long,” Mueller added.
To participate in the election, voters must be a resident of Idyllwild or the nearby towns of Fern Valley, Pine Cove or Mountain Center and pay a $1 fee.
Max beat out 13 other dogs and two cats with 21,132 votes, raising more than $31,000.
Mueller added that thanks to Max’s nonpartisan election and unique role, the city is seeing increased political interest and attendance at events.
Meadow Mighty-Dog Mueller (right), Mayor Max’s sister from the same litter, also serves as Idyllwild’s vice mayor
Local political decisions in the unincorporated city, which is located in the San Jacinto Mountains that tower over Palm Springs, are handled by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors
Max successfully beat out 13 other dogs and two cats with 21,132 votes – raising more than $31,000
“If you become president of the United States, half the people in the country hate you from day one – that’s not fun,
āBut it would be nice to be able to create a mayoral position without someone imposing an agenda on you that you have to pursue in some way.
āIf I were the mayor of Idyllwild and I told people I would be downtown at 2 p.m. to meet the people, most people wouldn’t come, and they certainly wouldn’t come every day.
āIf I announce that Mayor Max will be in the city center at 2 p.m., hundreds of people will come because it is interesting and unusual to see a dog as mayor,ā she told the Los Angeles Times.
Mayor Max typically makes public appearances in downtown Idyllwild on Thursdays, Fridays, and weekends. He also has a full schedule of private appearances throughout the year at schools, nursing homes, hospices, and businesses.
To participate in the election, voters must be residents of Idyllwild or the nearby towns of Fern Valley, Pine Cove or Mountain Center and pay a dollar
The current mayor, Maximus III, began his term on December 9, 2022 at the age of three months and will remain in office
Max also shows up at birthday parties and weddings, says Mueller, who manages to hand out more than 12,000 ties and about 10,000 Max mayoral calendars a year.
Taylor Brechtel, owner/curator of Recht Gallery, noticed: ‘Just because of his support and his appeal here, it brings more people to the gallery and raises the profile of the gallery in the Idyllwild community. I’m grateful for that.’
The dog is the third ‘Max’ to be mayor.
The first mayor Max, who was elected on July 1, 2012, was soon diagnosed with cancer and was deposed in April 2013.
Mueller and Warren then adopted another purebred golden retriever, whom they named Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller II.
The first mayor Max, who was elected on July 1, 2012, was diagnosed with cancer and was deposed in April 2013
Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller II took office at two months old and ended his term at age nine, when he was diagnosed with cancer
Maximus II took office when he was two months old and ended his term at the age of nine, when he was diagnosed with cancer.
The current mayor, Maximus III, began his term on December 9, 2022 at the age of three months and will remain in office.
Meadow Mighty-Dog Mueller, his sister from the same litter, also serves as vice mayor of Idyllwild.
“Mayor Max III is a labor of love for me and we’re not going anywhere as long as he’s loved and adored the way he is,” Mueller said. “As long as we believe that we’re truly helping so many people around the world live happier lives, I’m not going to stop.”