Nansen Ski Jump

File:Nansen Ski Jump.jpg

The top of the Nansen Ski Jump as seen from NH Route 16

Nansen Ski Jump is a ski jump located along Route 16 in Milan, New Hampshire. Built in 1936, it was the largest ski jump of its time. It is now within Nansen Wayside Park, a New Hampshire state park.

Description

The Nansen Ski Jump is just north of the Berlin city line. It was constructed in 1936 by the city of Berlin and the National Youth Administration and was once the largest of its time. The ski jump has a 175.3-foot (53.4 m) steel frame and is 260 ft (79 m) in length. It has a 171.5-foot (52.3 m) tower, a 225-foot (69 m) vertical drop, and a descent angle of approximately 37.5 degrees.

Nansen Wayside Park, in addition to the ski jump, has a picnic area and boat launch on the Androscoggin River.

History

For almost fifty years this was the largest ski jump in the eastern United States and the foremost jump in the country. The architect of this ski jump was John Barnard Nichol, a resident of neighboring Berlin. The Nansen Ski Jump was the site of major championship ski jumping competitions. In 1938, the first Olympic trials were held at the Nansen Ski Jump.

The jump was closed in 1988. In November 2011, a historical marker was placed to commemorate this ski jump. Over time the ski jump evolved into a state of disrepair. In 2015, brush clearing work was started as Phase 1 torward a goal of restoring the site so visitors can view it as it once was.

References

• Northern White Mountain Chamber of Commerce
• New Hampshire History and Heritage Guide

External links

• Photo set: Nansen Ski Jump as seen in the summer of 1999
• Berlin New Hampshire History at Weebly.com