This Week in History (3/31 - 4/7)
Mount Snow’s Fountain Mountain, the result of a frozen geyser on Snow Lake, was a fun attraction back in the day. That is, until the fountain began spewing sewage and had to be shut down. Courtesy Mt. Snow Twitter
10 years ago:
Members of Wilmington's long-term flood recovery parking subcommittee announced 10-year leases with West Main Street property owners that would allow the town to build and maintain a large parking area. The parking area is located along the river behind several West Main Street businesses. Subcommittee member Carolyn Palmer, citing a general spirit of cooperation after Tropical Storm Irene flooding, urged the selectboard to approve the leases as soon as possible.
15 years ago:
Mount Snow dedicated their ski patrol building to patroller Col. Sandy Safford, who had died 11 years earlier. Safford had been at Mount Snow on the first day it opened in 1954, and transported 1,398 patients off the mountain over his lifetime.
The producer and photographic subjects of the “Ladies of the Deerfield Valley” charity calendar were arrested and charged with pornography in an FBI sting, Wilmington police and downtown businesses agreed on a two-day-per-month amnesty plan when drinking and driving would be legal, and a Whitingham farmer thwarted a terrorist plot by his herd of Jerseys, all on April 1.
20 years ago:
Attorney Robert Gensburg, who waged the lawsuit that changed Vermont’s education funding and ushered in Act 60, met with valley residents. He said conditions in Wilmington and Whitingham appeared similar to those in the communities he represented in Brigham v. State of Vermont. If true, he said, it would mean that requirements of the Vermont Supreme Court ruling under Brigham were not being met.
Wilmington Selectboard members were presented with a petition calling for a vote on the town manager form of government. It was the second petition on the question in four years.
25 years ago:
Senators Peter Shumlin and Dick Sears got an earful from their Deerfield Valley constituents regarding a new education financing reform bill that had passed in the House. Included in the House proposal was a local income tax.
Scientists said Mount Snow and Haystack were “ready to blow” after volcanic activity was detected at Mount Snow on April 1. The US Navy announced plans to build a naval base on Lake Whitingham. The USS Molly Stark would be deployed on the lake and engage jet-skiers in target practice. In a special joint session of the Legislature, Gov. Howard Dean announced his support of the legalization of marijuana cultivation in Vermont. “New Hampshire is going to have a total bird,” chuckled Dean.
30 years ago:
Dover Police replaced one of their cruisers with a Bradley M-1 tank. According to Chief Robert Edwards, the tank would be used to enforce parking violations at Mount Snow. The Vermont Legislature’s reapportionment plan placed Dover in the Northeast Kingdom district of Island Pond. In other April 1 news, concert promoter Don Kirschner planned a Woodstock reunion concert at Haystack, calling it “Woodstack.” Featured acts included Dean Martin and LL Cool J.
45 years ago:
Daryl Redin, 13, won the National Aerial Championship title at Mount Snow.
Eliot Wigginton, creator of the popular Foxfire program, was the speaker at Deerfield Valley Elementary School. Foxfire students around the country interviewed older citizens in their communities and preserved the knowledge in the popular Foxfire books.
Students at Deerfield Valley Elementary School were asked what they would ask President Jimmy Carter if they could call him. “I’d ask him if he had an owl,” said Heather Maynard. Jason Lindholm said he’d tell President Carter, “I wish his hair would turn red, and I’d ask him if he would keep the world clean.” Joanne Maynard said “I wish he would help everybody to build houses.” This was seven years before Carter would become involved with Habitat for Humanity.
55 years ago:
Mount Snow’s Fountain Mountain (a giant mound of snow and ice in the middle of Snow Lake created by what was reportedly the largest manmade geyser in the world) was the site of the “first annual” Fountain Mountain Slalom Derby. According to Mount Snow, Fountain Mountain was the scene of afternoon “schussing” parties, with people sliding down the hill’s steep on cafeteria trays, toboggans, skis, feet, and pants. Mount Snow claimed that the pitch of Fountain Mountain’s slope exceeded that of the headwall on Tuckerman Ravine.
