Blake's Hill Rope Tow

When people are asked about the skiing history of Westford, MA, most people would instantly talk about Nashoba Valley. A lot of people in the northwestern suburbs that didn't learn to ski at a big mountain learned at Nashoba. Well, there was another ski area in Westford at one time, on Blake's Hill. I happened to find this area totally by accident by looking at a topographic map for my hometown. This area is less than 4 miles away from where I grew up. The area today has completely grown up, with the towers for the rope tow being removed several years ago.

Dick Kenyon found out some great information on this area!
"I talked today with Steve MacDougall who is the former owner of the "Westford Ski Area", which was located on Blakes Hill on property still owned by Steve. He put in the lift in 1957-58 and operated until 1969. In 1964 I bought a house on Crown Road on the opposite side of Boston Road from the ski area. One of the reasons my wife and I located there , seven houses away from the ski area, was that we both liked skiing. Thirty seven years later we still do. I turned 70 last April and managed to ski 60 days last season. Unfortunately the Westford Historical Society has no information or photos concerning this area. According to Steve, the motor that ran his rope tow was a 1946 Ford V-8 still located behind his barn. He still has the original rope in the barn. As you may know, the hill is now overgrown with brush and trees as are many of the closed areas you have documented."

The picture above is from the 1965 topographic map from the USGS. The area is right above the Rte 495 exit for Westford on Boston Road.

Bob Anderson scanned in this article from the Westford Eagle that was written in April 2004.