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christiana reunion

In 1967 Sandy Martin opened the Christiana Inn on Alta Lake, the crowning touch in his development of the Alta Vista subdivision — land he bought with a $10 down payment.

In 1967 Sandy Martin opened the Christiana Inn on Alta Lake, the crowning touch in his development of the Alta Vista subdivision — land he bought with a $10 down payment. Next month many of the people who were a part of the Christiana — people like Dag Abye, Joan Gross, Wendy Meredith and Bob and Ray Crompton — will be getting together for a reunion. "There’ll be music, dancing and tales from the past," says Martin. Anyone who remembers the Christiana — now known as Whistler on the Lake — is invited. And anyone with memorabilia and artifacts from the Christiana era is invited to bring them to the party, after which they will be donated to the museum. Martin was one of Whistler’s original developers. He skied Grouse Mountain in the ’40s and ’50s, but when development of Whistler Mountain began he got involved. Martin built the original gas station in Whistler Creek, as well as Alpine Village. He bought the land for the Alta Vista subdivision and the Christiana Inn with a $10 down payment. The agreement was drawn up at the gas station. He paid $90,000 in total for the land, with the deposits he received on 35 lots. The Christiana Inn was named after the Christiana Lodge in Sun Valley. Among the early celebrities to stay there was Green Acres star Eddie Albert. Martin sold the Christiana in "about 1974 or ’75." The reunion will be May 18 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $27, including dinner, dancing and prizes. Call Joel Thibault at Anasazi (932-3000) for reservations.