A Fireside Chat hosted by the Farmington Historical Society was held last Monday evening at the Ski Museum of Maine in Farmington. Megan Roberts, director of the Ski Museum welcomed more than 30 people who attended the hour-and-a-half program. Scott Andrews a long-time ski journalist from Portland and board member of the Ski Museum of Maine narrated the presentation.

Megan Roberts, director of the Ski Museum of Maine, standing, greets visitors to the Fire Side Chat slide show presentation narrated by Scott Andrews. Photo by Dan Cassidy

Andrews went through more than 2,000 historical photos, some more than a century old, using about 150 of them for the slide show program covering 140 years of skiing in Maine.

"Skiing goes back more than 5,000 years," he said. "The first skiers in Maine came over here from Sweden and settled in a town called New Sweden in northern Maine."

Andrews said that winter carnivals really helped to popularize skiing in the 1920s and Fryeburg became the ski capital of Maine. Today there are 18 alpine ski areas in the state.

First chairlift in Maine
The first chairlift in Maine was installed at Pleasant Mountain (now called Shawnee Peak) in Bridgton. "Old Blue" was built in 1954.

"Skiing has been part of the Maine way of life since the late 1800s, offering recreation and competition to both residents and visitors," Andrews said. "The museum's objective is to feed the passion of Maine skiers and to illustrate the significance of our sport to our state's lifestyle and economy."

'Down-Mountain and Cross Country: 140 Years of Skiing in Maine' is sponsored by the Ski Maine Association and the Sugarloaf Mountain Ski Club.

Get out your earmuffs!
Several festivities are scheduled along with the Chester Greenwood Day parade in downtown Farmington, Saturday, December 6. Chester Greenwood, a native of Farmington was born in 1858. He invented earmuffs at the age of 15. Farmington is now recognized as the Earmuff Capital of the World. The Ski Museum will hold an open house during the day.

Ski and ride safely. Use your head and don't forget to wear a helmet!