Enthusiasm for skiing spread rapidly in New England in the years before America’s entry in World War II. The arrival of rope tows, usually connected to truck engines, was one reason, as at this farm in Lisbon, N.H. , in 1936. Farm Security Administration photographer Marion Post Wolcott took pictures of local teenagers skiing on Dickinson’s farm in March 1939. She explained:
“On Saturday afternoon many high school students come to Dickinson’s farm to ski. Mr Dickinson built a ski tow on his farm three years ago at a cost of one thousand dollars. This is the first year he had made any money {from the ski business} although business is increasing rapidly now. He has a small dairy farm and until the hurricane last year destroyed his entire grove of maple trees, he made and sold maple syrup.”
