Swan’s Corner Skiing “The First Sunday River Ski Area”

 

In early 1940’s, Gould Academy acquired land formerly part of the Locke-Swan farm from the Bion Swan .  Ruel Swain who graduated from Gould in 1944 said that of wheel barrow and shovel work was needed to turn the slope into a ski jump…  Read more

Vernon Street Ski Tow

 

In November 1948, a group of Bethel people met to come up with a plan and the means to create a town ski area.  Within less than two months, this group had organized a Bethel Ski and Outing Club, Inc. and established a ski area with a rope tow that was less than one mile from Main Street. November 11, 1948: “Winter Sports Meeting Stirs Interest – Inspecting Ski Sites This Week”   On Tuesday about 25 people interested in skiing and developing winter sports met at the Community Room to discuss local possibilities. … Read more

Mt. Abram by Don Cross

 

In 1958, Stuart, Norton and Donald Cross were operating a logging business called Cross Brothers.  That winter we were cutting on Mt. Abram’s northwest side where we owned two hundred acres. At noon we would gather in a trailer for a warm lunch.   

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Sunday River by Mike Thurston

 

Since skiing in Bethel has affected so many lives, economically, financially, physically and romantically I think someone should write the history before it is all forgotten. Since this all started a long time ago many things and names will be forgotten. But here goes.

Viking Village by Peter Cunningham

 

After the November 2000 annual Association meeting, Pat Irons asked me if I would write a history of the Viking Village and of the Association for the benefit of some of our newer residents.  The following is my attempt to chronicle key events and some of the facts and reasoning behind some of the actions that have transpired ..Read more

Mike Lynch—Why I Came to Sunday River and Stayed

 

Mike calls his initial connection with Sunday River sort of an accident.  In the early 1960’s Mike was a Sugarloaf skier who lived in Portland.  On ski weekends he would meet five others at the A&P parking lot on Forest Avenue very early in the morning. From the parking lot they would head for Sugarloaf.  After a number of trips, he was getting a little tired of the long trips.  Read more

January 1937  Herbert R. Rowe and O.B. George of the Bethel Outing Club attended a meeting for the formation of the Maine Winter Sport Federation at Augusta .  Bethel was one of the very few towns having good skiing so far that (1937) season. Although not widely known, members of the Outing Club have had excellent sport for some time past on good woods trails.  Read more

Snowshoes came first; woodsmen, trappers and hunters needed them to travel through Maine’s winter snows. Skiing seems to have been introduced by the Scandinavian people who migrated into this area in the last half of the 19th Century.

Swan’s Corner Ski Jump

Sunday River Feb 1960