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
