From Jim Nawn, whose family owned the property prior to 1964
"Summit Ski Tow Area, was a true family project. Our ski tow was in operation in the years 1945 through 1955. It was founded and constructed by my dad, William Nawn, Sr. and I at the time was a student at St. John's Prep and Georgetown University. My dad operated the Eagle Lake House, a New England Country Hotel and tavern in the Jefferson Village of Holden.
Dad owned 140 acres of land in Jefferson that had been in the Nawn family for one hundred years. His mother, Ella Nawn, operated a famous New England hotel, called The Summit House. It had 65 rooms and was destroyed by fire in 1917. Was never rebuilt. This land was vacant for many years. The land was set up on a steep hill.
In 1945, he and I decided to construct a ski area.We had a 1000 foot long ski run and installed a rope tow. It was operated by a power take off from a farm tractor rear wheel which we had on the property!
We installed lights on the ski hill and tow for night skiing. It was popular. We also constructed a 100' x 40' ski lodge house. It had a large stone fireplace inside and the entire building was of field stone that came from our stone walls all over the land. The building had a flat roof. It was rustic and beautiful in Field Stone.
We had a restaurant inside the building, bathrooms etc.
In the early years the cost for an all day ski ticket was ONE DOLLAR! After a few years the price went up to $2.50.
We were open every night of the week and days on Saturday and Sunday. We would average 50 to 70 people on nights, and on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6pm 200 people would ski. Of course we had to depend on snow storms, we had no snowmaking equipment. We had a ski instructor and we rented ski equipment also.
My mom Grace and my two younger brothers Bill and Paul also helped out with the operation. In 1950 my mom and dad built our new home on this property. My dad passed away in 1963 and my mom sold the property in 1964 to a Parker family, that at the present time still own the house there.
Our house is still on the property as well as the beautiful Field Stone building with the big stone fireplace. The people may have added a second story on the ski lodge's flat roof.
Keeping warm around the fire
Map of the Ski Trails
Skiing on the main hill
There was a rope tow and lights for night skiing
The stone ski lodge prior to a 2nd floor being added on
Lots of people came up for the skiing
