It's absolutely impossible to talk about the history of Killington town without addressing the beautiful and complete ski resort it holds. The one who took the credit for the great opening was Preston Leete Smith on December 13th, 1958. It started with two lifts and seven trails and today, Killington Ski Resort operates across six mountains with 141 trails and 24 lifts.
Early History
Due to its astonishing beauty and nearness to Rutland, Killington Peak was a recreational destination all the way back to colonial American history. In July 1879, a carriage road was constructed up the western face of the mountain, leading to the opening of a near-summit hotel by M. Meyerhoffer in 1880. The hotel was initially quite popular, and the building was expanded in 1882.
The earliest known ascent of Killington Peak on skis occurred in February 1917, when a group of Green Mountain Club members ascended the mountain on a particularly cold day. Future Governor Mortimer Proctor purchased the Killington summit tract in 1919, and in 1927, the ridge was named the Coolidge Range in honor of President Calvin Coolidge, who grew up in nearby Plymouth.
The Birth of the Resort
In 1954, Vermont State forester Perry H. Merrill wanted to see a ski resort developed on Killington Peak. Preston L. Smith's lift plans emerged in the summer of 1956, calling for a chairlift to the summit and top-to-bottom Pomalifts. The project made the Associated Press wire in July — as an offbeat news story about porcupines chewing on construction equipment caught the attention of readers.
The project faced setbacks when the State Highway Board announced no funds existed to build the access road. However, in April 1957 the state legislature appropriated $750,000 to construct access roads for Killington and other Vermont ski areas. The resort opened on December 13, 1958.
Killington Resort Today
With a total area of 1,509 acres, 155 runs, and a lift system that contains 21 lifts — including 2 gondolas, 5 express quads, 4 quads, 3 triples, 1 double, and 6 surface lifts — Killington Resort is one of the most important ski areas in the eastern United States. The resort also has 45 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, an 18-hole golf course, and lift-accessed mountain biking in summer.
President Calvin Coolidge was quoted as saying, 'Vermont is a state I love. I could not look upon the peaks of Ascutney, Killington, Mansfield, and Equinox without being moved in a way that no other scene can move me.' The Beast of the East continues to earn its reputation every season.
