This Week in History: October 1 - 6
10 years ago:
A key section of Dover’s Valley Trail was under construction. The so-called “A section” of the trail, running from Dorr Fitch Road to Mount Snow Market Place included West Dover’s first traditional concrete sidewalk, and provided safe pedestrian access to the Dover Town Office and nearby businesses and organizations. The cost of the project was estimated at $750,000. Town officials were already planning additional sections, including an “A-” section that would run south of Dorr Fitch Road, and the “C” section, which would run north of Stugger Road.
15 years ago:
Dover Selectboard members approved $100,000 in funding for an emergency marketing campaign and a contract with Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation to hire an emergency business coordinator. The marketing campaign was intended to counter perceptions that damage from Tropical Storm Irene was so severe that the Deerfield Valley wouldn’t be able to accommodate visitors over the upcoming winter. The business coordinator would help businesses in Dover and Wilmington damaged by the flood to access resources to rebuild and reopen. Noting that with 46 businesses in Wilmington closed due to flood damage, Wilmington would be the biggest recipient of the assistance, Wilmington Selectboard Chair Tom Consolino thanked Dover for their generosity.
20 years ago:
A report prepared by Twin Valley School principals Frank Spencer and Todd Martin indicated that Twin Valley students had more educational opportunities than Wilmington and Whitingham students had before the middle and high school merger. Spencer noted that high school students had 37 new courses. Martin said that the middle school offered new electives, and drastically increased in-school and after-school enrichment programs. The increased opportunities were achieved with a net reduction of three full-time staff positions.
25 years ago:
Heavy rains caused a coffer dam at Jacksonville Pond to overflow. Town crews and volunteers scrambled to stabilize water levels, and prevent the entire pond from inundating the village. At one point, officials estimated that they were pumping 5,000 gallons per minute out of the pond, using several pumps, but still the water continued to rise. Late in the afternoon the rain broke, and the pumps were able to bring the water level back to a level safe for the temporary dam.
30 years ago:
GMP unveiled the first of 11 wind turbines to be installed in Searsburg. At the time, the turbines were praised as a “new generation” of wind turbine, “as far advanced from earlier turbines as a late-model car is from a Model T.”
35 years ago:
Chamber of commerce co-president Julie Lineberger suggested the chamber restructure their dues and hire a paid executive director for the 1993-94 fiscal year.
The Nutshell Co-op in Wardsboro was celebrating its 10th year of operation. The co-op offered natural, fresh, and organic foods to more than 500 members throughout the area. The co-op was founded by Wardsboro native Cristel Holden, who said she started by forming a buying club that operated out of her home.
40 years ago:
A dozen prototypes of the Sterling, a rebadged Rover 800 built by British auto manufacturing group Austin Rover on a Honda platform, arrived in Wilmington. The cars were making a 200-mile publicity circuit of Vermont. The car was described as “a swishy luxury car with a price tag of $19-$23,000.”
45 years ago:
Mount Snow’s Le Disco, one of the valley’s top night spots during the “Me Decade” of the 1970s, was losing its mirrored ball. The building, originally built as the Snow Mountain Inn by Mount Snow General Manger Winn Laudner in the 1950s, was being converted to a conference center.
Thousands of cat lovers sent angry letters to Skip Morrow’s publishing company to complain about his “The Official I Hate Cats Book” after the cartoon collection made it to The New York Times Best Selling Book list. Some letter writers accused Morrow of being “demented,” others went so far as to wish him harm. Morrow, a cat owner with a sense of humor, said “I like cats, it’s cat owners I don’t get along with.”
50 years ago:
Mount Snow marketing director Phil Saluter was named general manager of the resort after the resignation of Alan Fleischman.
Sweet Pie, the nearly-naked piano player who entertained the valley with his boogie-woogie blues and bawdy jokes, was appearing at the Wilmington White House.
55 years ago:
A group of investors planned to build a $3 million shopping center in Dover. Rod Williams, the architect and owner of the Sawmill Inn, designed the structure to “look like Vermont.” Investor Harry Weinstein said he and the other investors “care about Vermont and that’s why we’d spend a little more to build a nice-looking center.”
The Kingston Trio was at the North Country Fair for two nights.
