A romp through the woods to find some long-forgotten local history
Video by Liz Negrau and Aubrey Ann Parker
Current Contributor and Editor
We’ve had a lot of you responding to our recent cover story about Elberta Mountain Winter Sports Park, which was a combination of hills for skiing, sledding, tobogganing, plus a ski jump during the 1950s and 1960s–yes, even before Crystal Mountain (formerly known as “Buck Hill”) was around!
Our contributor Liz Negrau and editor Aubrey Ann Parker decided to go check it out for themselves–they might have trekked up the wrong side of the hill and walked way further than they needed to, so they also documented it all, so that you can find it a little easier than they did.
Somewhat surprisingly, there are still lots of historical treasures to be found in the woods: the old truck, whose engine ran the tow rope; the auto wheels that were used for the tow rope; some other random pieces of metal, likely for various gates around the property; and a dug-out groove for the ski jump.Want to learn more about this little-known local history?
Historical photos used in this video courtesy of the Benzie Area Historical Society and Archives of Michigan. Read the accompanying cover story by Andy Bolander here.
Interesting to see powerful folks of yesteryear finding outdoor during the cold months. Can you imagine entertainment with no televisions? How about no internet? In some cases, no electricity. Make your entertainment with other friendly folks wanting to socialize during some very cold winters. Ski jumping to show your boldness and balance. Women in shorts or halter tops during the snowy season. That will get the men jumping up and down for a connection. Possibly why so many Elberta folks pair off when they anticipate those cold winter nights ahead.
Side note. There was a big hill in Benzonia that made a good slide for tobogans and sleds. Maybe 1,500 feet long on a steep street. Holding onto the bumpers of cars or slow moving trucks was also fun for kids wearing boots.