The Stanley Steamer is one of those special inventions that you fall in love with when you first see (& hear!) one, if you should be so fortunate! This video from WSKI’s Archives by an unknown producer is timeless in its presentation of one of the incredible creations of the brilliant Stanley brothers of Kingfield at the turn of the 18th-19th century. As stated in the mission of the Stanley Museum, where you can see actual Steam Cars (1905, 1909, 1910, 1916), & other inventions including Air-Brush Portraits, Paintings, Violins, Photographs, & more: ‘The Stanley Museum keeps and shares the traditions of Yankee Ingenuity and creativity as exemplified by the Stanley family in order to inspire those values in children and adults’. The Museum commemorates and preserves the heritage of the Stanley family genius, including sister, Chansonetta, whose photographs depicting rural turn-of-the-century American life can also be viewed at 40 School Street, Kingfield. Museum hours: June through October, Tuesday to Sunday 1 to 4 PM; November through May, Tuesday to Friday 1 to 4 PM; or by appointment. www.stanleymuseum.org
River Drivers
When hard work, danger & hardship meant worthy skills, fearlessness, & great friendships. River Drivers moved the timber from forest to the sea & sawmills along the way! Just a few years back I brought my visiting mother to the River Drivers’ reunion day at the Dead River Historical Society in Stratton where I shot these interviews on the spur of the moment because I had the camera in the car & pulled it out to record the tales being told by these amazing men of a generation gone by.
Other cameras captured the spirit of Sugarloaf long before WSKI's
We are grateful to the Foster family for giving WSKI a copy of their home movies from 1964 at Sugarloaf when the hardy skiers worked & played with gusto to create the grand reputation of ‘Sugarloaf’ that so many now know & love! This fantastic footage shows so many changes (fashions!!), & yet so many things that haven’t (can you ID the trails??)! ….. the fly over is great!!!…. [Read more…]
