Sand Mountain and skiing in Fort Meade

Growing up in the 1950s and early 1960s in the Heartland, a favorite recreation spot for many years was Sand Mountain. Parents took their children on excursions to climb to the top of the mountain and slide down. It was an ideal spot for picnics located two miles south of Fort Meade.

It was a man-made mountain that began in 1948. It was owned by Smith & Company, a phosphate mining company. Sand Mountain consisted of discarded fine white powdery sand. The sand pile grew and grew covering several acres and soon reaching 200 feet high and taller than Bok Tower. Smith & Company gave permission for the public to use it as a recreational spot.