Andreas PA
circa 1950
Mahala family photos

Frank and George Vavro

https://thehillernewspaper.org/6068/sports/winter/glide-through-the-history-of-sled-riding/

The first snow of winter, for many, marks the start of the long-awaited sled riding season. Whether there’s a few inches or multiple feet of snow on the ground, children and adults everywhere are always eager to button up their snow pants and spend hours outside on their sleds.

Senior Ashleigh Tuite explains her love for sled riding by saying, “When I was little I used to sled ride every weekend and now I still do it multiple times a year whenever I can.”

With all of this winter fun on its way, curiosity has struck. Why are some sleds better than others and how have sleds evolved?

For hundreds of years, people have been sled riding in some capacity. Despite the fact that people have grown to know sled riding as a snowy sport, the first documented sled ride occurred around 1900 B.C. in the sandy deserts of ancient Egypt. The sleds were made out of carved rock and were used for both convenience and labor.

The first recreational sled riding events were held by Russian aristocrats around the 1650s. The Russian youth would build wooden tracks down hills and carve sleds out of large blocks of ice. Although extremely dangerous, it was a primary source of fun amidst the harsh winters.


Andreas is a village in the southeast corner of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, in West Penn Township on Route 895. A small part of Andreas is also in East Penn Township in Carbon County. The Lizard Creek flows eastward through the village to the Lehigh River.