I dropped everything and started reading when I saw someone share a 2013 history of the Snowbound Club in Winchendon, MA in a recent Facebook post. So many of my childhood memories have the Snowbound Club in the background and I’m excited to dig deep into them!
I’ve shared below the story that was posted on Facebook, which I found interesting to revisit childhood memories and see where they align in the stories told by others. And in this case, someone’s written history mentions my father, Charles Andrews, as one of the founders of “the Club”. It’s funny I have such clear memories of Snowbound, but every picture I find has me at age 10 or under. The Club made quite the impression on me. And, when I do the math, my parents would have been in their 20’s during this time. Which is crazy.
Not too long ago, I wrote a story about growing up in Baldwinville, a lot of which came back to me when I saw that Pete Duprey had passed. Mr. Duprey was one of the dads in my childhood neighborhood in the Back Bay section of Baldwinville. *If anyone knows why there is a section of Baldwinville (which itself is just part of Templeton) referred to as Back Bay, do tell. It doesn’t feel like Boston to me. Here’s that story: The Neighborhoods We Grew Up In: RIP Pete Duprey
When I really think about it, my Snowbound Club memories seem to fall into three categories. One is camping. These were basic campsites, as I remember them considerably behind and to the left of the Club structure. I was curious and looked at the size of our camping area behind the Club–because as a child it was HUGE. According to the map, it’s 29.7 acres, which is plenty of room for all the memories I have.
Speaking of the Club structure, this relates to my second category of memories – – anything my cousins and I could find to keep entertained for when our parents were working on, or at, the Club. According to the history below, (I did not know this) my father was behind the pulley mechanism that the brave kids would jump up and grab hold of the handle and then ride the cable down until they would drop into the pond. I was not one of the brave kids. My cousins (the Chipmans and the Kosakowskis), out of concern for me – – or just to give me a hard time hoping I would go back inside the Club and leave them alone, always told me that if I went down the pulley, the snapping turtles were waiting for me. I love my cousins, and I don’t remember any one of them particularly being mean to me, but maybe because I was near the youngest in the pack they were just trying to not hang out with me. I don’t know.
I don’t think I ever was brave enough to careen down the hill and drop in to the pond. At some point a very large L-shaped bench, more like a corner booth from the fast food restaurant, showed up in that general area near a tiny, tiny stream crossing, and we would pretend it was our restaurant. We didn’t have iPhones, there was no social media. It was just a tiny, tiny stream crossing, a bench, a scary pulley, and some alleged snapping turtles. We were left unattended and needed to find our own fun.
The third thing that I categorize as memories at the Club, and I would have to look at the timeline to see when this would be, was when they put a second floor on it. As they say ‘if you know, you know”, this second floor is really a first floor, because before that the Club was literally a capped cellar hole. Before there was an upstairs, the Club was a kitchen facility with a big open space where we did things like Christmas parties and Club members could rent out the space for baby showers or other events. You can still rent out the Club today–as a member or non-member.
A few other random memories–My Grandma Rich hosted weekend breakfasts for years at the Club. Bev Rich wasn’t my actual grandma, but a distant relative connected somehow through my Uncle Tom Kosakowski. Everyone young called her Grandma Rich.
In 1976 there was a big parade to celebrate the Bicentennial–the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. I think this ‘big parade’ went all the way from Baldwinville to Templeton. That called for some resourceful people to secure a huge flatbed and put their kids up on there to wave at the crowd and throw candy.
Halloween! Every year there was a Halloween party at the Club. All the costumes were homemade. My mother would make the parents costumes and then after the adult party, would alter them down to fit my brother Jay and I. My parents were Raggedy Ann and Andy, then my brother and I were Raggedy Ann and Andy. My parents were bumblebees, my brother and I knew what was coming. One thing I suspect was just for the kids’ party (because it would be weird to see parents doing this) was the mad scramble for coins in the woodchip pile. Parents would bring change and they’d throw all the coins in to a huge pile of woodchips (slivers, who cares?). Would our kids even jump down to the ground and dig like crazy to find a nickel? I think not, but we sure did! I’ve loved seeing photos of the Snowbound Club Halloween parties of modern day, coordinated by my friend Deidra Laine for many years now.
Christmas–How did Santa find Snowbound and know what every single one of us wanted? I don’t know! But I did worry about this as a kid–what if he couldn’t find us??? I don’t know who else might have played the role of Santa for the kids’ party, but I think at least one of them might have been my Grandpa Rich (also not my grandpa, but married to Grandma Rich).
Snowmobiling–My parents had Arctic Cat snowmobiles and we had a Cat Cutter. What is a Cat Cutter? Imagine you want to go do some crazy snowmobiling but can’t find a babysitter. A Cat Cutter was basically a trailer to put your kids in to tow behind your machine. I can’t imagine the Cat Cutters of my youth would be legal today. I don’t remember any seat belts or time wasted on caution. But I do remember that feeling in the belly when you’d go down a huge hill (and in my case, close my eyes really tight), squinched in with my brother, cousins and some neighborhood kids.
All hands were on deck for the annual Snowbound Club snowmobile races across the road on Stoddard Pond. As kids, we were even more on our own when our parents focused on the thousands of people who would come to race, eat/drink, come inside the Club to warm up between races, etc. *Maybe not thousands of people, but it sure felt like it when 8-year-old you needed something and couldn’t find any parents you knew. Speaking of that, I also have memories from that time where if you wanted something (a soda, couldn’t get your snowsuit undone for a trip to the bathroom, or the inevitable tattling), you just found a parent–didn’t even have to be yours, but there was always a parent referee to be found, a parent working the bar handing out drinks, or a parent who would pretend to listen to the complaint in front of them, and respond with “you’ll be fine, now go back outside.”
So, here’s the story I came across on Facebook. I’d love it if somebody expanded it on the story below to create an official and more detailed history with photos. I’m going to continue to scan photos as I find them in my family albums.
Want to know more about the Snowbound Club, looking for a function hall to rent, or just want to be part of something, live entertainment and a great Halloween party? Read the history, and I’ve included some links below.
*I’ve made one correction to this story. My Aunt Mary was Mary Chipman, an incredible woman who gave her all to anyone who needed it. I don’t want to leave the story with her last name as Chapman. There are a couple other things I’d edit, but I’m borrowing this story and publishing it as I found it.
2013: Do you know the history of the Snowbound Club?
Built with a passion for snowmobiling, family, fun and the great outdoors…
Recently we sat down with some of the original members of the Club, discussed some of the planned renovations and received a history lesson on the origins of the Snowbound. The history conversation was so enjoyable; we thought we would share our notes with you.
The Club was established in 1971, the seven founders included Charles Bickford, Tom Kosakowski, Howard Rich, Robert Goderre, Bill Matusewicz, Dana Putnam and Charles Andrews. Before the Club was established these snowmobile enthusiasts would meet at each others’ houses. They shared a passion for snowmobiling, friendships and spending time outdoors in the New England winters.
On one of these occasions at Charlie Bickford’s house the idea of the Snowbound Club was born in a discussion between Charlie and Tom Kosakowski while having a few beers. They soon spread the idea to fellow snowmobilers Dick Amidon, Phil Moulton, Bob Olsen, Bob Goderre, Wendall (Soupy) Campbell , Kenny and Archie Prue, the Teitttinen brothers, Frank Cosentino, Dick Huhtala and many others.
Dick’s father Ted Amidon owned the land we occupy today which had only a cellar hole on it. After purchasing the land and capping the cellar hole, the first meetings were held in the cellar hole with a dirt floor and no heat. Membership in those days was men only and required that you had a snowmobile. Tom Kosakowski couldn’t remember exactly how they came up with the name Snowbound. One member offered that it was during one of those dry periods in winter with no snow (that all of us snowmobilers dread) and meant there was bound to be some snow soon.
It took several years to complete construction of the Club with final completion in 1974. All the work was done by Club members and all of the lumber was sawn at Bill Matusewicz’s saw mill. Dick Huhtala donated the first heating system, installed by him and his sons.
The Club house served not only as a meeting place for avid snowmobilers but membership grew and the get-togethers were year round. Families camped together near the pond and Jack Petrie started the Pig Festival which included Dave Manca’s log rolling on the pond.
In the winter, the Club would plan snowmobiling trips. During these trips 50 plus snowmobiles would be loaded in a tractor trailer. The machines would be one on top of each other with a layer of plywood between them. The tractor trailer would travel to Lake George, NY or Twin Mountain, NH. The members would travel up by Wilson bus (partying all the way). To raise money the Club held snowdeos. Contest of the snowdeos would include backseat driver contests (driver was blindfolded and received directions from the backseat). Snowmobile treasure hunts, where you had to unravel clues in the woods along the way.
Around 1978, the Club started to allow women memberships and voting rights, as Club members realized the Club would not have been possible without all of the contributions of the women involved in the Club (mainly their wives). Mary Chipman became the first single female member. Nicki Campell served as the Club historian. Who can forget Bev Rich who served breakfast to thousands over a 25 year period? Her breakfasts helping the Club raise money for numerous funds.
There were countless other contributions including the famous cookbook published by the women of The Snowbound. Looking back at the old pictures a swim suit calendar would have raised more money, probably a bit to risqué for the times.
Those of us that are present day snowmobilers are aware of the area’s biggest obstacle the Millers River. Some of our current members helped Coldbrook Snowmobile Club build the metal bridge that we use to cross the river today. What you might not know is that The Snowbound built the original bridge across river over 30 years ago.
The Club is best known for the Mass State Snowmobile races which were held here for 26 years and served as a main source of income for the Club. Mass Governor Ed King landed on the pond with a helicopter one year. Holding the races each year was a huge endeavor with countless man hours donated by members. At times it took Yankee ingenuity, like the year they had to drill holes and float the ice to save the race. One year Roger Dines’ large grader fell through the ice and members had to figure out how to get it back up from the bottom of the pond. Our own Phil Moulton Jr. competed in and won the race a number of times.
In 1978, during the softball craze, the members of the Club built “Ted Amidon Memorial Field “. Perhaps the guys just needed another construction project to tackle as this seems to be a part of the fabric of the Club.
We enjoyed the stories of the Club’s history. There was joy in their eyes as the members brought back memories of all of the great times that they had at the Club. Their pride was beaming as they took us through the journey of building a Club that has lasted over 40 years from an idea on a snowy night.
Present members displayed their enthusiasm as well, when discussing some of the success the Club has had in recent years and the positive direction the Club is heading in. Current President Dave Alexandrovich Jr. walked Founding President Tom Kosakowski through the upcoming Club renovations. They discussed our goal to capture our history and put it on display in the Club. The two seemed to hit it off, although Tommy did tell Dave, if he’s going to be president of this Club, he’s going to need to get a sled.
We apologize to the numerous people that made key contributions over the years that we did not capture here. We will do it again and encourage you to attend and bring stories, memorabilia and we’ll get them in next time. It was truly a fun and informative night for all.
“Snowbound Club, Inc. is the perfect place for indoor and outdoor festivities. We have a wide-open dance floor and bar upstairs with large windows overlooking the lake. We also have a beautiful wooden pavilion outside, along with a large rotisserie grill and window at one end for serving your guests. There’s also a stage for bands as well as small open field next to the pavilion that can be used for various outdoor activities. A full-size ball field is also on the opposite side of the parking lot.
We’re the best venue hall to hold your next party or function. Fill out our form to rent the Club!”
The Snowbound Club is located at 130 Baldwinville Road, Winchendon, Massachusetts.
Snowbound Club website
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Rent the Snowbound Club for your event!
I would love to share more Snowbound Club memories! Send me yours. If you have photos to share, send them to me at jennifershenk@kw.com
