BETHEL — The Ski Museum of Maine has opened a satellite, the Western Mountains Gallery, at the Robinson House of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society.

The inaugural exhibit, “Oxford County Skiing History: From Jockey Cap to Jordan Bowl,” traces the roots of alpine and Nordic skiing and manufacturing in Oxford County and Bridgton. The exhibit displays photos and stories of Sunday River, Mt. Abram and Shawnee Peak along with lost ski areas Jockey Cap, Burnt Meadow, Evergreen Valley and Earle Brown. It covers Nordic ski and jumping venues, ski clubs and ski lodging.

The manufacturing wall features Paris Manufacturing, YOPP and Claw skis with a monitor to view the “Tree to Ski” video. A central ski rack displays skis made in Oxford County from 1920-2018.

The exhibit has been made possible through a grant from the Oxford County Fund of the Maine Community Foundation. Hours for the gallery will match those of the Bethel Historical Society, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday through October 19, and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays in July and August. 

Admission is free. The museum is located in Kingfield above the Sugarloaf Outlet Store. For more information, phone 207-265-2023 or on the web at www.skimuseumofmaine.org.

The earliest known photo of skiing in Bethel, 1915-1916.  Skiers are patients at the Gehring Clinic on snow-covered trails of what today is the Bethel Inn Resort.