Powderhouse Hill (ski area)
Encyclopedia
Powderhouse Hill is a community ski area owned by the Town of South Berwick, Maine
and operated by the all-volunteer Powderhouse Ski Club. It consist of one rope tow, three trails and a large sledding only area: 2 intermediate (66%) and 1 beginner (34%). Powderhouse Hill has no snowmaking
thus its operation relies completely on natural snow
.
When North Berwick, South Berwick
and Berwick, Maine were all one big town, a town meeting was called for the construction of a powder house. It was decided that it should be on Butler’s Hill, thus being renamed Powderhouse Hill after the powder house.
In August 1851, several arson fires were reported in South Berwick. First, arsonists burned down Hayes House on Academy Street and then the powder house on Butler Hill.
Powderhouse was formed by William Hardy of Eliot, Maine. An avid skiier, he had previously run similar operations on Barnards hill in Eliot then leased the land for where Powderhouse is today. The Hardy Family ran the operation, selling snacks, coffee, and running the rope tow until ownership was transferred years later.
A Ford Model A was converted to run a rope tow up Powderhouse Hill. The Powderhouse Hill Ski Club was incorporated on December 14, 1964. Powderhouse Hill is one of the oldest operating ski areas in the entire country.
South Berwick, Maine
South Berwick is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 7,220 at the 2010 census. South Berwick is home to Berwick Academy, a private, co-educational university-preparatory day school founded in 1791...
and operated by the all-volunteer Powderhouse Ski Club. It consist of one rope tow, three trails and a large sledding only area: 2 intermediate (66%) and 1 beginner (34%). Powderhouse Hill has no snowmaking
Snowmaking
Snowmaking is the production of snow by forcing water and pressurized air through a "snow gun" or "snow cannon", on ski slopes. Snowmaking is mainly used at ski resorts to supplement natural snow. This allows ski resorts to improve the reliability of their snow cover and to extend their ski...
thus its operation relies completely on natural snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
.
History
Thomas Butler and Elizabeth Butler settled in the town in 1698. They were the original owners of Powderhouse Hill, also called Butler Hill at the time.When North Berwick, South Berwick
South Berwick, Maine
South Berwick is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 7,220 at the 2010 census. South Berwick is home to Berwick Academy, a private, co-educational university-preparatory day school founded in 1791...
and Berwick, Maine were all one big town, a town meeting was called for the construction of a powder house. It was decided that it should be on Butler’s Hill, thus being renamed Powderhouse Hill after the powder house.
In August 1851, several arson fires were reported in South Berwick. First, arsonists burned down Hayes House on Academy Street and then the powder house on Butler Hill.
Powderhouse was formed by William Hardy of Eliot, Maine. An avid skiier, he had previously run similar operations on Barnards hill in Eliot then leased the land for where Powderhouse is today. The Hardy Family ran the operation, selling snacks, coffee, and running the rope tow until ownership was transferred years later.
A Ford Model A was converted to run a rope tow up Powderhouse Hill. The Powderhouse Hill Ski Club was incorporated on December 14, 1964. Powderhouse Hill is one of the oldest operating ski areas in the entire country.