Seven Springs history

In 1938, Gibson negotiated Schneider’s release and relocation to New Hampshire.

Laurel Mountain dates back to winter of 1939 when Pittsburgh financier Richard King Mellon began to plan a ski area on the western flank of the Laurel Ridge for the members of the prestigious Rolling Rock Club.

Construction began on the trail and lodge in 1940.

The January 10, 1941 edition of the Ligonier Echo reported: “The natural slopes of Laurel Mountain afford a trail which is extremely fast and which requires skill to travel.

In 1947 a new lodge near the mountain’s summit was opened.

In 1952 the first largest commercial system was operational at Grossinger’s Catskill Resort Hotel, another Schneider designed slope.

In 1955 a new lift, perhaps the only of its kind, a Constam T-bar with single seat chairs dispersed among the T-bars, became the first top to bottom lift eliminating the need to use 3 rope tows to get to the summit.

In 1956 Laurel was among the first ski resorts to install large scale snowmaking.

Ralph “Doc” DesRoches assumed leadership in 1957 and continued Laurel’s lead in ski industry innovation.

By 1958 areas on the mountain called Forest Slalom began to appear on the trail map.

In 1963 R.K. Mellon and his sister Sarah Scaife gave the ski area to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania thus becoming Laurel Mountain State Park.

Laurel first chairlift was installed at Laurel Mountain in 1968.

Laurel Mountain faced increased regional competition to begin the 1970’s.

In 1974, an ambitious $23 million commercial development proposed by Laurel Resorts, Inc. was opposed by a rare alliance of business and environmental groups.

In 1991, Laurel Mountain Recreation Inc., a non-profit composed of Westmoreland area businesses and economic officials was formed to revitalize Laurel Mountain.

In 1994 Abe wrote this story to honor "Grandma Dupre" and the family legacy.

In 1999, George Mowl signed a 35 year concessionaire lease and presumably took over with the goal of helping to push sales of lots in Laurel Mountain Village.

In 2004, Seven Springs entered into an agreement to run Laurel Mountain as “The Springs at Laurel Mountain”. As many improvements were deemed necessary, Seven Springs chose not to run the area the following year.

June 19, 2006 Robert Nutting, current Chief Executive Officer of the family-operated Ogden Newspapers.