A rebuilt snow roller is on display at the
Historical Society Building in Andover. This was how they used
to maintain the roads in the winter in the old days.
They would roll the snow on the roads packing it down
and then they would drive their horses & sleighs down
the road, or in some cases automobiles with skis instead
of tires.
Winter 1928- Ray Thurston, Road Commisioner
Some Pineland Ski Club Pictures of Annual Ski
Carnival and Coronation. The ski carnival and skiing competitions
were held almost every year (I believe in March) provided snow
conditions were good enough. A Carnival Queen was chosen to represent
the event. From what I remember the Coronation was usually held
at the Town Hall after the competitions had been held and there was a
Ball and awards ceremony also. People would come from all around to
participate in the Carnival. I believe you had to be a member of the Ski
Club to enter the competitions. It was quite a tradition.
There were dues paid by all Ski Club
members who wanted to belong to the ski club and you got a Pineland Ski
Club patch which most members had sewn on their sweaters or ski jackets.
The Pineland Ski Club usually held weekly meetings during the winter
time up at the Town Hall. I remember watching
8 mm movie reels of some of the competitions and events
at these meetings. There was a secretary, treasurer, President and other
elected officers from what I remember.
I apologize for the quality of these pictures. They
were some old slides I had converted onto a CD so I could load them onto
my computer. Most all of these were taken during the 1950's & 1960's.
See if you recognize anyone?
L to R: Gertrude Percival, Warren Percival,
Wendall Swealt,
Merton Fox, Hazel Fox. Sign painted by Bill French - 1936.
First Carnival Queen 1928
Queen- Dorothy Bemis, Uncle Sam- Harry
Poor, Behind- Henry Hutchins, Hazel Fox.
Carnival Queens Past & Present 1976.
Front L to R - Eda
Roberts, Marjorie Campbell, Roberta Thurston, Queen
Leslie Mills, Mary Abbott. Sylvia Poor,
Frances Delong. Back L to R - Hean Peaslee, Dotty Jean
Learned, Barbara Glover, Elaine Gammon, Norma White,
Becky Learned,
Cynthia Bell, Gloria Howard, Virginia Bell, Juliette
White, Helen Lang, Barbara Pratt
The Grange Apple Princess - Lone Mountain
Grange. Apple Princess - Anna Thurston.
L to R - Lucy Mailloux, Violet Fraser, Etta Perkins, Lillian
Webster, Lily Thurston, Vivian Bemis, Aorence Hall,
Nina Clark, Emily Thurston, Evelyn Stevens, Sadie Bailey, Marge
Thomas.
L-R sitting _Janet Hewey, Trudy
Learned, Maxine Dresser, Outgoing Queen - Philena
Crooker, Ruth Chenery, Sharon Fitzherhert, Avis Perkins.
2nd. row L-R _Wayne Anair, Mike Feener, King _ Jim
Bodwell, Queen - Dorothy Merrill, Billy Crooker, Tommy
Learned, standing - Donald Mailloux
Carnival Ball - 1927. L to R: Eunice Hawley, Dot. Campbell, Eva
Roberts, May Hall, Dr. Stanwood, Hazel Fox,
Marie Morgan (Queen), Grace Glines, Margaret Hall, Carrie
Morton, Mary MacNeil.
Front Row: Neil Bodwell, Doris French, Eda Perkins, Stan Fox,
Kathy Glines, Jean Glines.
Children Participating in Pineland Ski Club
Corination Ball 1979 ?
Front L-R Tom Morton, A.J. Milligan, Kelly Cronin
Back L-R Kathy Cronin, Kristie Clement, Stephanie Percival,
Christine Gammon
Here's a few in color from the late 50's or early 60's
Not sure what year this was.
The Remmington Clan
L to R: Clarence, Sonny, Robert, Tommy, Alan.
All active members of the Pineland Ski Club.
An alpine slalom event
held on the hill of Spidell's house across from the old
picnic area. I think this is Vicky Meisner on the course
skiing.
The old ski jump located behind the Town Hall
where we spent hours & hours. It was lighted so you could even ski
at night. Boys competitions were held on this.
The bigger 40 meter ski jump hill was located
down on airport road where even before my time they used to have
horse races and a sort of Fair in the summer. There was also a 20
meter jump located next to the 40 meter one where a lot of High
School events were held. Ski Jumping was still quite popular back
then. This 40 meter hill was more for the adult competition. This
usually drew quite a crowd too if the weather was good. The little
hut you see in the picture sold food and drinks.
A cross country skiing event.
I think this is Becky Nickerson on the skis.
Just before a competition
Vicky Meisner on the left. Richie Davidson the tall one. I believe
Billy Simmons next to Richie and myself on the far right.
Look at the size of these alpine skis then as compared to today's
skis and the size of us kids. I think back then the way you would
tell what size ski you should use was determined by you reaching up
over your head and when you bent your hand at the wrist the tips of
your skis should be right there. Nowadays you would use a much
smaller length ski and probably is more determined by your skill
level. Back then most people only had 1 set of skis and today they
may have anywhere from 2 to 4 depending on ski conditions.
Misc. Old Time Winter Photos
Not a good picture but I'm sure this is Junior Poor on what was one of
the earlier model Ski Doos I think.
A sliding party. This is what our sleds looked
like then. Today there are many designs and styles of sleds. I think
we also had what we called "Flying Saucers" (metal aluminum discs)
and toboggans. I believe the kids in the picture are from left to
right- Tommy Remmington, Becky Simmons (Nickerson), and Peter Poor.
The pictures below will give you an idea of
what I remember how much snow we used to get on an average every
year during the winter. This years snow fall is close to what I
remember it usually being. I remember a couple of years at least
where the snow fall was much more than this. I don't know if this
was because I was a child and it just seemed like it was more or
that it really was a lot more snow fell in the winter back in the
50's and 60's.
David & Lorena Simmons House. (Clarence, Sonny, Robert, Alan, & Tom Remmington)
A. H. S. SKI TEAM 1959 Left - Right: Frank Morgan, Arthur Hutchins,
Hugh Morton, Jack Ladd, Mike Feener,
Wayne Morton, Tommy Learned
Actually Ski Jumps- plural. I'm
not sure what size they were. The one closest looks
like it may have been about a 20 meter jump?? I
don't remember these growing up.
Is Skiing a dying sport or
just locally?
It seems like skiing has died away in the
town of Andover. There used to be several ski jumps and many
cross country trails. The ski jumps have gone away. Certainly
you would have to say ski jumping in the U.S. has died for the
most part. The cross country trails are still there but they are
not used much anymore. At one time there was a small ski area up
by East B Hill with a rope tow and several runs. The annual ski
carnival was held every year. Back then I think skiing was about
the only thing we had to occupy some of our time in the winter
months. Now everyone has a snowmobile and video games etc. Maybe
snowboarding has captured the interests of the younger crowd
more so than skiing. It really isn't just Andover. I see it in
other towns too.
Do you have any old
pictures you would like me to add to these? If so just mail a
copy of them attn. Bruce Simmons P.O. box 176 Andover, Maine
04216, or email them to me at
spotsb@gmail.com
We would like to thank the Andover
Historical Society for some of the pictures above. If you would
like more info. about the Andover Historical Society, just call
207-392-4742 or 207-392-3157.
