100 Years Ago: 1925

A chickadee called “Happy New Year!” in chicadese to the Stanton Bird Club members who braved a temperature of 12 below zero and went over to the sanctuary New Year’s morning. He had been waiting for Bird Club friends near Uncle Johnny’s oak, and his cheery greeting brought others of his family to welcome and follow the club members up the trail.

50 Years Ago: 1975

More than 40 area youngsters are taking to the ice on skates made available to them through Rap Place’s skate program, Chuck Moulton, Rap Place co-director declared today.

More skates are being sought. The program provides them to  youngsters who might otherwise go without.

“For the second year, interested citizens have dropped off used skates to be given to the young people of the community, using Rap Place’s store-front office at 145 Park St., Lewiston as a distribution center,” Moulton said, noting, “many youngsters brought back last a year’s skates to exchange for a larger size, and these have been added to our supply.”

“But,” he noted, “with the heart of winter yet to come, the program will continue through skating season.”

And anyone who has unused skates at home is urged to drop them off at Rap Place.

25 Years Ago: 2000

Inventor and businessman Otto Wallingford, the man who revolutionized snow grooming for skiers, died in his sleep Sunday at age 76.

Locally, Wallingford will be remembered for co-founding Lost Valley Ski Area in 1961, but his greatest contribution to the ski world came 10 years later with the invention of a powder maker that transformed the slopes. Rock-hard snow crusts could be converted to groomed powder, improving conditions at ski areas around the world and earning honors for Wallingford from the industry he loved.

“I think my father would like to be known for his creativity,” said his daughter, Ruth Wallingford, Sunday night. “He was proud of Lost Valley and for being an outdoorsman, and proud of being a good family person.”

The material used in Looking Back is produced exactly as it originally appeared although misspellings and errors may be corrected.