The first Chili Cook-off was held on the Pawlowski Dairy Farm in Bridgewater Mass in 1986. The first year took off with a bang and close to 90 people showed up to sample 9(?) different Chili's. Jack Murray and Mike Simonds set a standard never surpassed for portable stoves. They brought a hand-crafted portable woodstove with a swinging davit to support the pot and a truck load of wood. The turbo charge was particularly effective. The event was at Pawlowski's one more year, in 1997 we added boat rides on the RV Bridgewater and a good time was had by all. Eric Cunningham moved back into the Boston area later that year and somehow Jack Murray was caught in a drunken haze and agreed to do the cook-off at his field in Cape Elizabeth, Maine the following year.
The years at Jack's, 1988-1991, were some of the best so far. We had many attendees including some of Jack's neighbors and colleagues from Peerless Welding. One of the prime attractions, in addition to the beautiful Cape Elizabeth beaches, was Jack's 1921 Seagraves Fire Engine, (since sold back to the town that originally bought it) (“Seagrave was a 1939 model, purchased by the Eliot ME Fire Department new in '39, and purchased by them again (from me) in 1993” – Jack M.), I think many ol' timers treasure their memories of the trip up and down the roads of Cape Elizabeth. We also had some excellent bands in those days and many increasingly excellent Chilis. The Goof-ath-a-lon lasted one year but was spectacular in nature! As each year passed; the focused desire to attain the coveted Gold Pot fueled more and improvement in Chili technology. Over time, all the Chilis became good; many, excellent.
Jack Murray took up with a tramp and that changed everything. Well let me restate that, Jack bought a beautiful black Morgan Horse named Tramp and became concerned that the Cook-off was too large for his land and a risk to Tramp’s pasture. So, on the road again, and down to the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, ME in 1992 (the only village in the world so named). Seashore also had a wonderful open field that was near their visitor center and convenient to trolley rides and the Dallas, Texas Chili Trolley (Dallas car 434, Built by Stone & Webster); well, that was what we christened it any way. So the Trolley replaced the fire engine as the ride of the day. The Trolley Museum stage replaced the Tag trailer and we had a wide diversity of music on the open mike. An important event added during the time at the Trolley Museum was The Brewhoff (thanx to John Stoffel, Jack Nedelman Etc.). The cook-off did well for many years at the Trolley Museum but the Museum’s Board had other plans for the Chili Field so we packed up and Headed North!
From 2000 to 2003, we were back at Jack Murray's except that Jack and Susan's place is in New Sharon, ME now and there is a lot more land, horses, dogs, etc. Their place is called Tullibardine Farm and includes a Dog Sled Team raising operation featuring Chinooks, Horses; both Morgan and Norwegian Fiord, barn cats, etc. etc. The farm is located in the Valley of the Sandy River and The County Seat; Farmington, ME also includes University of Maine Farmington. We had some good cookoffs up in New Sharon, but it proved to be a stretch geographically.
The cookoff had been at Doles ridge since 2004. The Orchard is in a great location offers camping etc and already has an excellent quality stage on site built for a yearly music festival the Doles Ridge folks run. The first year at Dole’s Ridge went well and plans are moving ahead for the future.
