It was not until the 19th century that sledding became a popular recreation, especially in the United States. “Coasting”, as it was called, was enjoyed by both children and adults, and several sled models accommodated 4 to 6 adults, as shown in the top sled here. In fact, President Theodore Roosevelt was such an avid sledder that, in his 1901 book THE STRENUOUS LIFE, he says: “There is no more exhilarating and entirely satisfactory sport than coasting.” Clouds Hill has numerous sleds in the Sports Collection, from the early wooden one at bottom to the unique “ski-sled”. From the farmhouse behind the main house at Clouds Hill it was almost entirely cultivated fields, pasture and lawns down to the Post Road – what a great run for the four boys and four girls in the generations growing up here!
