Friday, February 18, 2011

February 18, 1963 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 18, 1963
Mon mostly sunny warmer hi 36 real windy. Kids home for mid winter vacation all week. Clifton and David went to Bartholomew’s and bought a calf. Had a letter from Doug. Clifton called Orville Slutzky about David. He said he told David he could go to work Jan 14.

Comment:  David was going to work at Hunter Mountain.  Our Dad probably worked for Orville at one time or another.  From Wikipedia: "During the mid-50's a group of local businessmen, including Orville and Israel Slutzky, developed plans to revive the area's economy after the Great Depression.   World War II and the decline of Catskills tourism had caused long-term economic distress. The sport of skiing was becoming popular, and the group considered developing Hunter Mountain as a ski resort.This group created the Hunter Mountain Development Corp., which was the first operator of Hunter Mountain. Headed by James Hammerstein,  the son of Oscar Hammerstein II,  the group included many Hollywood and Broadway stars of the time. With Orville and Izzy Slutzky providing most of the land and their firm I. & O.A. Slutzky providing the construction, ground was broken to develop the ski area in the summer of 1959. The area was given to the group to operate with two stipulations: that it be called “Hunter Mountain Ski Bowl” and that it have snowmaking capabilities, which was a relatively new technology at the time..... In the summer of 1963, Hunter opened for summer skiing on plastic chips. Summer skiing lasted only a few years. During the winter of 1963/64, Hunter Mountain opened for night skiing for the first time.
I seem to recall David commenting on how miserable it was working there but they paid pretty good wages.


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You're always young in your mind it is said, No matter the face in the mirror, That you see with surprise then say to yourself, "What is that old man doing here?"