WINTER OF 1958 – 1959 SPORTS SHOW DRAWS 500 TO CHEAT LAKE

Unique sounds emanate from Cheat Lake, both human joy and natural ice fractures …

The Mountaineer Winter Sports Club is Very Active in Monongalia County

>>> From the Morgantown Dominion News, January 12, 1959

A crowd of over 500 came out to watch the 2nd Annual Winter Sports Festival ice skating competition on Cheat Lake at the Whippoorwill on January 11, 1959.

The nine events, sponsored by the Mountainteer Winter Sports Club included children’s scramble, free style, couples, barrel jumping, figure skating and speed skating.

Crews from two TV stations were on hand to record the activities. The Festivals skiing competition was staged the following week at Chestnut Ridge.

>>> Thanks go to John May, retired from the WV Geological & Economic Survey, for this Article.

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NOTE ~ In December of 1958 there was significant snow fall in Monongalia County and Southwest Pennsylvania. The Greyhound buses running daily to Pittsburgh were challenged when climbing the long hill on US 119 from Pt. Marion toward Uniontown because of cars clogging the road. The buses being much heavier could travel in the opposite lane of the two lane road and pass all the stalled traffic. Such was my trip to the Cathedral of Learning at the University of Pittsburgh that winter to take the Graduate Record Examination, not given in West Virginia in those days. Duane Nichols