Skiing

Norge Ski Club

The Norge Ski club was formed in 1905 in Chicago, Illinois. The formal organization was started by Harken Lehn, along with Lauritz Larsen and Meinich Skau. To attract membership, they placed an ad in the Daily Skandinaven inviting those interested to meet at Petersen’s Hall on November 8, 1905. As motioned by Olaf Fossum during the meeting, it was declared that the group would go by the name of the "Norge Ski Club." Eventually the club acquired a 38 acre property in Fox River Grove, Illinois.

Upon the new year in 1906, the group held a skiing festival and netted a "magnificent" profit. With this profit, they were able to send four skiers to participate in the National Championship Tournament in Ishpeming, Michigan. The group chose the following skiers to attend the National Championship: Terje Jensen, Adolph Swenson, Yngvar Hendriksen, and Christ Larsen. 



The group was affiliated with the National Ski Association of America in 1906 and earned the title as the second oldest affiliated member. The winter of 1906 was especially tough for the group -- Chicago was essentially without snowfall. Ridicule and skeptics took to the Daily Skandinaven to speak poorly upon the group. The group and members continued on despite this, and continued to send skiers to out-of-town tournaments. During this year the group also published its first official newsletter, Snofoika. 

Interest in the group and skiing was apparent at the January 19, 1908 ski tournament held at Humboldt Park in Chicago. The attendance reached 20,000 spectators. A month later, another tournament was held in Cary, Illinois with more participants, however with less spectators. It was during this time that the Ski Hut/Clubhouse Committee was in full swing. With the help from funds raised during a piano raffle and bazaar, the work on a ski hut was started in Cary. The hut officially reached completion in 1909.

The idea of the Chicago Medal came to fruition in 1925, the same year as the centennial celebration of organized Norwegian migration. This medal was made of solid gold and could be won once by any skier participating at the Cary meet who got the most points regardless of classifications. In the first five years, the winners included: Henry Hall (Detroit), Anders Haugen, LeMoyne Batson (Westby, Wis.), Peder Falstad (Canton, S.D.), Halvor Walstad (Racine, Wis.), and Casper Oimen (Canton, S.D.). To learn more about the Norge Ski Club, explore the "Norge Ski Club 25th Anniversary Review" below. 



Sources to explore:
Norge Ski Club membership, undated
Snøføika, 1915 January 23
Norge Ski Club papers, 1905-1985

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