Kents Hill

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Kent’s Hill School:

K-Point:

ca. 30 m

Further jumps:	no
Plastic matting:	no
Year of construction:	1930's
Operating until:	1960's
Status:	destroyed
Coordinates:	44.407296, -69.995383 ✔

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History:

On the grounds of the prestigious Kent’s Hill School, a school ski jump once stood, operating from the 1930s to the 1960s. This facility was part of a comprehensive winter sports program that also included alpine and cross-country skiing. The ski jump was located on the southern slope of Schoolhouse Hill – directly adjacent to the school campus.
Construction likely began in the 1930s, when Kent’s Hill School began developing its winter sports facilities. With the help of coach “Peg” Goldthwait (affiliated with Dartmouth College), students themselves cleared the slope and built a 70-foot (~21 m) wooden structure. Initially, it was a small trestle-style jump, typical of school ski jumps of that era. Ski competitions and exhibitions, including jumping, were held near the campus, often with parents in attendance.
The most significant period of development came after World War II. In the 1940s and 1950s, the infrastructure was expanded – as confirmed by school yearbooks, press articles, and alumni recollections. The jump was actively used during the Winter Carnival, an annual celebration of winter sports, in which ski jumping was one of the main events. Students trained in jumping, cross-country, and alpine skiing – embracing the full scope of classic Nordic skiing. It is estimated that the hill had a construction point around K20–25, although precise technical data has not been preserved. In the 1950s and 60s, the jump was complemented by a rope tow lift, which was built and operated by students and faculty. This enabled regular training without needing to leave campus. At the time, Kent’s Hill was one of the few places in Maine where students had access to such a complete winter sports facility directly on school grounds.
Interest in ski jumping began to decline in the second half of the 1960s – as in many other New England schools, slalom and cross-country skiing grew more popular. The ski jump ceased operation between the late 1960s and early 1970s.
To this day, the contours of the former jump remain visible on the slope of Schoolhouse Hill, especially during snowy winters. The area is still used for recreational cross-country skiing and winter education.

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