HISTORY of MES
The final January of skiing at Hogback (1986)
Brattleboro Reformer
February 1984 was not kind to Hogback, as warm, wet weather shut down the ski area during Washington's Birthday week. Arnold White told the Brattleboro Reformer that he needed to either
install snowmaking or get out of the ski business, adding, "It will be a sad day when the moderate income families have to give up the sport because they can't afford the $70 to $100 a day
that the bigger mountains charge."
A six-inch storm reopened the area at the start of March. A larger storm in the middle of the month extended the season through the last weekend of March. That month, Bruce Cole wrote a
letter on behalf of Marlboro School, thanking Dick Hamilton and Arnold White for free skiing at Hogback, telling Brattleboro Reformer readers, "Marlboro School may not have a gym but we
certainly have a unique experience for eight Monday afternoons every winter at no cost to any of the participants."
The 1984-85 season started just after Christmas, but shut down before the holiday weekend due to record high temperatures and rain. The area likely missed the entire month of January due
to lack of snow. The season likely came to a close after the second weekend in March.
Excerpt from: https://www.newenglandskihistory.com/Vermont/hogback.php
Our Bridge
The Johnny Esau Covered Bridge, in Marlboro (Windham County), Vermont.
Named for teacher Johnny Esau, whose 4th-grade class built the bridge (with some help from parents and other folks from the community) in 2004. Awesome!
According to vermontbridges.com (2005), “Esau has taught his classes about covered bridges throughout his 25-year career, using the bridges to teach his students their required subjects, including architecture, and history. The students built toothpick models to learn the science and physica of structural loading. Esau and his class have traveled throughout Vermont looking at bridges while exploring Vermont geography.”
Mr. Esau retired in 2005, and unfortunately, passed away on January 9, 2018.
The bridge is located on the grounds of Marlboro Elementary School, so please do not visit when school is in session.
The bridge is about 15 feet long, and sports a Town truss design.
Photos from June 19, 2023