Oak Grove
School
Vassalboro, ME
Years Operational
Unknown
Thanks to Greg Kearney, we now know of this lost area that operated in Vassalboro. Here is his information:
"As the alumni president for the now closed Oak
Grove-Coburn school I bring you word of yet another ski hill run by a private
school. The hill at Oak Grove-Coburn school was across US-201 from the main
school buildings in Vassalboro, Maine which are now the state police academy.
The slope went from the top of the hill down to the playing fields which are
still owned by the Oak Grove School Foundation and, as far as a I know, still
have the lift equipment in place needing only to be turned on. It also had a
unique ski jump which was dug into the hill rather than being built up on a
wooden frame.
In the years before Oak Grove School merged with Coburn Classical Institute, Oak
Grove was an exclusive girl's finishing school the headmistress, Mrs.
Owens would forbid the girls from skiing down the hill in front of the school
buildings to the ski hill lest it "rake the
virgin snow" and spoil the picturesque view. The ski club at Oak Grove
School had a "lodge" in the basement of Senior House. When I was in
school there in the 1970's there were still many old sets of skis from the
1930's stored in the room which also featured a fireplace. Pictures of the time
show young ladies entertaining young men from another of your lost ski area
Hebron Academy which contrary to your information still uses its ski hill as of
this last winter (2000-2001) for training runs.
I remember skiing down this hill which must have a vertical drop of about 300
feet."
Does anybody else remember this area?