North Creek Snow Train to celebrate 90th anniversary

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The North Creek Snow Train is celebrating its 90th anniversary of the first train to run between Schenectady and North Creek. In celebration of this milestone, events will happen from now through March.

The events will not only celebrate the history of the snow train, but they will also focus on the way women contributed to popularizing skiing in the Capital Region and the Adirondacks. The women highlighted at certain events include the influential Frederica Anderson and Loir Perret Schaefer.

The train first brought 378 skiers from Schenectady to North Creek on March 4, 1934, after alpine skiing grew in popularity following the 1932 Olympics in Lake Placid. These snow trains helped North Creek and surrounding ski areas stay afloat throughout the Great Depression.

Events

• January 27: “How Skiing Came to North Creek: Schenectady’s Role,” talk by Jim Schaefer. Before the talk, there will be Snow Train specialty beer from Wolf Hollow Brewing Company at 6:30 p.m. at Tannery Pond Center
• January 30: Old ski movie night from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, presented by Bill Schaefer at 6 p.m. at Wolf Hollow Brewing Company
• February 6: “How the Snow Train Got Started to North Creek” talk by Jim Schaefer at 6 p.m. at Wolf Hollow Brewing Company
• February 10: Old ski movie night from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, presented by the North Creek Depot Museum at 7 p.m. at Tannery Pond Center
• February 13: Movie night: Adirondack hickories and “Freddie at 95,” hosted by Jim and Bill Schaefer at 6 p.m. at Wolf Hollow Brewing Company
• February 17: “Women of Winter: Frederica ‘Freddie’ Anderson, Pioneer Ski Instructor and Lois Perret Schaefer, RN, The First Aid Committee Ski Patrol, 1933,” talk by Jim Schaefer at 7 p.m. at Tannery Pond Center
• February 22: Johnsburg Historical Society presentation on the WWII 10th Mountain Ski Division at 7 p.m. at Tannery Pond Center
• March 2 to March 4: Celebrating the First Snow Train at Gore Mountain
• March 2: Ski Bowl snow shoe presentation at North Creek Depot Museum. The time of the event is to be determined.
• March 3: Johnsburg community story recording session and launch of an audio walking tour of North Creek at 1 p.m. at Tannery Pond Center
• A historic exhibit of the Snow Train and skiing history of Rotterdam and Schenectady County at Rotterdam Town Hall held through March