Sky Valley began in the late 40's when my Mom
and Dad came to Bartlett from Chestertown, Maryland. The business
started as a fifties style motor court with little cabins. It was
one of the first cabin courts to have a radio and electric blankets
in each unit. I remember when TV's first became popular we had
little black and white sets with a coin mechanism that allowed
about an hour of viewing for 25 cents. The cabins were first-class
for the time period.
The photo below shows Sky
Valley about 1952. The big Elm Tree got knocked down by a big
Hurricane in the mid 1950's, The current Apartment "A" Sunshine
Apartment, and The Homestead Kitchen Apartment "B" are visible in
the center of the picture, with what looks like a huge fence in
front of it with a gate big enough to drive a car thru. All the
little cottages are gone except for the one at the extreme right
side of the page, currently used as a storage shed. The stone
fireplace and chimney on the cabin at the far left are still there
today and used as a picnic spot. My family lived in the house in the
center of the picture. When I was about thirteen I had a chicken
coop in there someplace.
One striking difference
is the TREES...The views of the mountains were completely
un-encumbered. My dad planted all the birch and maple trees that
decorate the property today. In 1951 there was no pool, no motel
units and this picture is taken from about where Chalet #3 is today.
Since the nearest restaurant was in North Conway in 1955, a modern
office, restaurant and gift shop were added to the business. A pool,
the likes of which had never been seen in the North Country, was
also incorporated into the design.
Perhaps
1960, looking west from the office building towards the Apartments.
Mt Carrigain in the center background.
Here's
my big brother, and his favorite swan dive, maybe 1961, (remember,?,
that was the upside down year....) As you can see, the pool had no
filters in those days. No one seemed to mind. The insurance company
encouraged us to remove the diving boards in 2004. It was one of the
only 3 meter boards in the State at a roadside motel.
There
use to be a stream running along the front of the property. In the
spring it usually flooded.
1964; the last year of the 1952 cottages.
It Looks like We had more snow in the old days Maybe we just piled
it up higher? This picture is from about 1955.
1969 looking towards Chalet #3
