History Timeline

Compiled  by Dana Sprague

Here’s where it all began in 1922 – the original handmade wood trestle.

1922

  • Construction begins on Cedar Street January 13, 1922

  • Jump built ($2,200)—construction completed one week before first jump; New England distance record set.

1923

  • Vermont State Championship

  • Eastern Amateur Championship

1924

  • National Championship

  • Paul Whiteman’s famous Leviathan Orchestra plays at Ski Jump Ball at Community Hall

  • Winged Ski Trophy purchased for $750

  • $500 worth of improvements on hill

1925

  • Eastern Amateur Championship

  • Charles Mazetti’s famous White Fleet Orchestra of 10 pieces at

  • Community Hall – Ski Jump Ball

1926

  • Vermont State Championship

  • Anson Smith’s famous Havana Orchestra of 10 pieces at Community Hall – Ski Jump Ball

1927

  • New England Ski Jump Championship

  • Ski Jump Ball – Minot-Doyle Orchestra

  • Reginald & Carol Kendall of Norwich take a toboggan off Harris Hill and through a flaming hoop

  • Everett Davidson becomes the first Class B jumper to win meet

1928

  • New England Championship

  • Dick Newcomb’s 12 piece orchestra at Community Hall – Ski Jump Ball

1929

  • National Championship

  • New tower built

  • Dick Newcomb’s Band plays at Ski Jump Ball

1930

  • No jump

1931

  • New England Championship

  • Bill Murphy’s 11 Royal Arcadians Band plays at Community Hall – Ski Jump Ball

1932

  • No jump

1933

  • New England Championship

  • Miss Grace Hamblet (Keene, NH) chosen Queen of Ski Jump Ball

  • McEvens Orchestra plays at Armory

1934

  • Vermont State Championship

  • Special Train from New London, CT to see jump

  • Toboggan jump added attraction at Harris Hill

1935

  • New England Championship

  • Loud Speaker live “mike” added to event for first time

  • Helen Newton (Storrs, CT) crowned Queen

  • Bill Murphy Royal Arcadians at Community Hall – Ski Jump Ball

1936

  • Eastern Ski Championship

  • Merrill Barber sets amateur record with jump of 198 feet

1937

  • No jump

1938

  • National Ski Championship

  • Landing hill improved

  • Triple jump held (3 jumpers off jump at on

  • Gene Brodman and his college collegians plays at Ski Jump Ball

1939

  • Invitation meet

  • The Barbary Coast Orchestra of Dartmouth plays at Ski Jump Ball

1940

  • Invitation jump

  • Triple Jump held

  • Ray Hill & his orchestra plays at Community Hall – Ski Jump Ball

1941

  • Invitation Jump

  • Major improvement to hill

  • New profile

1942

  • National Championship

  • Torger Tokle retires winged trophy for first time

  • Mezzy Barber named to Olympic Team, but Olympics canceled because of war

1943-45

  • No Jump

1946

  • Invitation jump

  • Bus runs every 10 minutes from Main Street to ski jump

  • Lowell Thomas delivers his news from Ski Jump Ball

  • New winged trophy on display

  • First woman jumper

1947

  • Open invitation meet

  • Sonny Williams 13 piece orchestra, 700 attend Ski Ball

  • Parking banned on streets

  • Warren Huston (major league baseball player) attends jump

  • Six Norwegians attend jump

1948

  • Open invitation meet

  • Repairs done to hill

  • Decision made to replace wooden in-run with dirt mound

  • Governor Ernest Gibson attends jump

  • Mezzy Barber disqualified from Olympic Team (deemed professional)

1949

  • Open invitation meet

  • Dirt mound replaces wooden trestle at a cost of $2,500

1950

  • Open invitation meet

  • 30 police officers needed to handle big crowd

  • 102 jumpers attend

1951

  • National Championship

  • Brattleboro Ski Jump re-named after Fred Harris

  • 38 police needed to help with crowds

  • 164 jumpers compete (largest crowd ever)

1952

  • Open invitation meet

  • 121 jumpers on hand

  • Mezzy Barber national champ

1953

  • Open invitation meet

1950

  • Open invitation meet

  • Brattleboro’s greatest jumper, Merrill “Mezzy” Barber, jumps for the last time finishing his career at Harris Hill. In his career Mezzy won over 125 trophies, and finished first at Harris Hill twice.

  • Snow collected from streets to put on hill

  • 90-minute color ski film (with sound) plays at Community Hall

1955

  • Open invitation meet

  • Art Devlin jumps with cast on arm

  • Martin Iger photographs jump by suspending a cable across landing hill while sitting in a boatswain chair

  • Vermont Life runs story about Harris Hill

1956

  • Open invitation meet

  • Buddy Morrissen carries an American flag down landing to start jump

  • Fred Harris inducted into National Ski Hall of Fame

1957

  • Open invitation meet

  • Winter Carnival starts (24,250 attend week long events)

  • Art Devlin becomes second jumper to retire trophy

  • Dr. Phil Dunham wins veterans’ division

  • Eleanor Jones first carnival queen

  • New tower built – $2,700

  • New judges’ stand built – $498

  • Fence replaced at cost of $210

1958

  • Open invitation meet

  • New Winged Trophy

1959

  • Open invitation meet

  • Bernard Dion, age 17, becomes only the second Class B jumper to win the Harris Hill meet

1960

  • Open invitation meet

  • Dr. Phil Dunham has longest jump in Veteran Class (184 feet)

1961

  • National Championship

  • Dr. Phil Dunham wins Veterans National Championship

  • Vermont Academy skiers help get jump in shape

  • Founder, Fred Harris dies

1962

  • Open invitation meet

  • Governor Ray Keysar attends jump

  • Art Tokle, Sr. becomes oldest jumper to win Harris Hill at age 40

1963

  • Open invitation meet

  • Ski Jump banquet held at Latchis Hotel

  • Two Swedish jumpers – finish one/two

1960

  • Open invitation meet

  • Jet plane flies over event

  • Eric Merrill named to Eastern Team

1965

  • Fred Harris Memorial Ski Jumping Tournament

  • Wolfgang Happle of Germany sets new record, but finishes second to Sepp Lichtenegger of Austria

1966

  • Eastern Amateur Ski Association Championship

  • Eric Merrill becomes first local jumper to win since Mezzy Barber in 1947

  • Dr. Phil Dunham wins 6th straight veterans’ title

  • Junior jumping program featured in Vermont Life Magazine

1967

  • Open invitation meet

  • Dave Merrill of Brattleboro wins Class B

  • Dr. Phil Dunham wins again in veterans’ class

1968

  • Hugh Barber & Dana Zelanakas named to Eastern Team

  • Dana Zelanakas named to National Team

1969

  • National Championship

  • Dana Zelanakas represents National Team

  • Dave Austin of Brattleboro wins the Vermont High School Championship and finishes third in the New England Championship.

1970

  • Fred Harris Memorial Meet

  • 19 jumps in excess of 200 feet

  • Don West beats Dr. Phil Dunham in veterans’ class

  • Bernie Wells wins junior class

  • Phil Rancourt, Dave Lantz, Bernie Wells and Dave Austin make Junior National Team

  • Bernie Wells wins Junior Nationals

  • Peter Graves competes at Junior Nationals

1971

  • Fred Harris Memorial Jump

  • Bernie Wells wins junior honors

  • Phil Rancourt wins Vermont High School Championship

  • Hugh Barber wins New York State Championship

1972

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Brattleboro jumper Hugh Barber wins Harris Hill event

  • Jim Galanes wins junior class

  • Dana Zelanakas named to Olympic Team

  • Jerry Galanes, Jim Baker, Steve Wood and Kevin Whitworth named to Jr. National Team

1973

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Hugh Barber wins again at Harris Hill

  • Hugh Barber only American to finish in top 10 at the National Collegiate Championship

  • Terry Tyler wins World Heavyweight Ski Jumping Championship

1974

  • Hugh Barber retires trophy, winning for third year in a row

  • Jump enlarged with two starts added

1975

  • National Championship

  • Kevin Whitworth named to Junior National Team

  • Terry Tyler wins World Heavyweight Ski Jumping Championship for second time

1976

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Brattleboro Outing Club trucks in 150 loads of snow

  • Bill Koch wins silver medal at Olympics

1977

  • Fred Harris Invitational Ski Jumping Tournament

  • Because of snow conditions, the longest jump was less than 200 feet for the first time since 1935 Jim Galanes wins national Nordic Combined

  • Todd Brooks wins Vermont High School Championship

  • Alan Sargent retires as Harris Hill Director after 28 years

1978

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Banquet held at Country Kitchen

  • Todd Brooks, Tim Barrett and Jeff Baker named to Junior National Team

  • Terry Tyler wins World Heavyweight Ski Jumping Championship for third time

  • Todd Brooks wins Vermont High School Championship

  • Tim Barrett named to Junior National Team

1979

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Walter Malmquist earns second leg of winged trophy, classifying Harris Hill as: “Second only to winning a Gold Medal”

  • Todd Brooks wins Vermont High School State Championship for third straight year

1980

  • No Snow

  • Todd Brooks wins Junior Nationals

  • Tim Barrett named to Junior World Champion Team

1981

  • No Snow

  • Rex Bell named coach of National Team

1982

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • 18-year old Jeff Volmrich upsets Walter Malmquist

  • Dana Zelanakas comes out of retirement to compete in veterans’ class

  • Millington Dix retires

  • Banquet held at American Legion

  • Grooming machines from Maple Valley used for first time

1983

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Bernie Wells, jumping for the first time in six years, comes out of retirement, and is a forerunner for this year’s jump

1984

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Parking lot closes due to mud

  • Bernie Wells wins veterans’ class

  • Earl Murphy, oldest ski jumper in the world at 56, on hand for Harris Hill Jump

  • Jeff Hasting has the highest finish ever for an American in the Olympics, finishing 4th at Sarajevo Olympics

  • In January, eight Brattleboro jumpers take part in the Masters National Championships in Lake Placid NY including Dave Austin, Dave Lantz, Paul Bloomer, Bernie Wells, Hugh Barber, Doug Lantz, Dana Zelenakas, and Dave Harris.

1985

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Norwegians finish one-two

  • Snow from parking lot dumped on landing

  • Target jump held for first time

  • Ticket prices raised to $5

  • Mike Holland sets world distance record–186 Meters (610 feet)

1986

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Snowmaking added to jump, making Harris Hill one of only three jumps in the country with this capability

  • Jeff Volmrich wins second leg on Winged Trophy

  • Kevin Whitworth wins veterans’ class

1987

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Three Austrians, two Finns and two Norwegians compete at Harris Hill
    Volmrich and Malmquist both fall short in attempt to retire trophy

1988

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • BOC honors past winners during 65th year with Banquet at Putney Inn – nine past winners attend

  • Governor Howard Dean presents medals to winners

  • Todd Einig makes Junior Olympic Team

1989

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Todd Brooks second in veterans’ class

  • Ticket price raised to $8

  • Steiner Bratten of Norway edges Chris Hastings and Jim Holland to win
    Harris Hill renovated

1990

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • US Jumpers finish 1-2-3 for first time with Mike Holland winning trophy

  • Dr. Phil Dunham and Alan Sargent inducted into Masters Hall of Fame

1991

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Yugoslavians finish one-two

1992

  • National Championship

  • US finishes 1-2-3

1993

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • 16 year-old Drew Richards jumps Harris Hill for the first time, finishes third

1994

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Drew Richards finishes second

  • Temperature hits 55 degrees

1995

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Jim Holland retires with a win at Harris Hill

  • Austrian Harold Deissi has first 300 foot jump at Harris Hill (304 feet)

  • Troy Hanson and Jesse Amidon qualify for Junior Olympics

1996

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Toby Sprague retires from judging after 20 years

  • Vladimir Glyvka wins first leg, upsetting two Austrians and Casey Colby

  • Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards competes (sort of)

1997

  • 75th Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • 12 year-old Linsey Van of Park City, Utah falls on Saturday and is unable to compete

  • 59 year-old Don West becomes the oldest jumper to jump Harris Hill

1998

  • No Snow

  • Harris Hill Ski jump featured in Vermont Life

1999

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Vladimir Glyvka wins second leg of Winged Trophy

  • 14 of 21 jumpers are 18 years old or younger

  • 12 year-old Willy Graves jumps Harris Hill for the first time

  • Mezzy Barber elected to Ski Hall of Fame

  • Brad Baker (son of jumper Jim Baker) drafted in first round by Boston Red Sox

2000

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Vladimir Glyvka retires winged trophy

  • Willy Graves qualifies for Junior Olympic Team

2001

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Jannie Rand competes at Harris Hill to become a third generation Rand to do so

  • 53 jumps exceeded the 80-meter mark

2002

  • 80th year of ski jumping in Brattleboro

  • US Jumper Casey Colby wins event

  • Jump held in January to avoid conflict with the Olympics

2003

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • New judges’ stand built with a donation of $25,000 from the Rotary Club

  • Harris Hill Ski Jump, Inc. incorporates on October 15, 2003

2004

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Willie Graves wins junior division

2005

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • Jump postponed by one month because of weather

  • Willy Graves wins North American Championship in 90k and 120k

  • Fred Harris inducted into Vermont Ski Hall of Fame

  • Harris Hill obtains non-profit status 2/28/2005

2006–08

  • Construction of new jump

  • New steel tower, start, in-run

  • Widening of landing hill

  • Safety/reflective boards on landing

  • New steel stairs from bottom to take off

  • Out-run changed

2009

  • Fred Harris Memorial Tournament

  • 16 year-old Spencer Knickerbocker becomes the first person to jump off the newly renovated Harris Hill Ski Jump

  • Torch Light Parade kicks off 2009 jump events

  • Biggest crowd since 1987 – 5,400 paying customers

  • Representatives from 18 media outlets cover jump

2010

  • Judges’ stand, tower, and in-run painted green

  • Permanent sign erected at entrance on Cedar Street

  • Kiosk erected at base of hill

  • Brattleboro born Nick Alexander makes Olympic Jumping Team

  • Electricity installed at Harris Hill

  • Chris Lamb sets new hill record

2011

  • Snowmaking not needed due to heavy snowfall

  • USA Ski Jumping (USASJ) organization formed

  • United States Collegiate Ski Association (USCSA) revived

  • Harris Hill becomes FIS Cup certified on 11–24–2011

  • Harris Hill becomes first US jump approved for FIS Cup jump competitions

  • Willy Graves wins US College Championship

  • On April 6, 2011, the International Olympic Committee announces women’s ski jumping will be an Olympic event for the first time, to be held in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. According to Deedee Corradini, the USA Women’s Ski Jumping president, 2014 will be the “first gender-equal winter games in Olympic history.”

2012

  • BOC deeds the ski jump land to Harris Ski Jump, Inc on January 9, 2012

  • US College Championship held at Harris Hill

  • First FIS Cup tournament in US held at Harris Hill

  • US Finals of FIS Cup held at Harris Hill

  • US jumpers place 1-2-3

  • Permanent coaches’ stand built

  • Cement poured for distance cameras

  • Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Stan Grossfeld covers Harris Hill for Boston Globe

  • Record amount of snow made for 2012 jump

  • Electronic marking used for the first time

2013

  • Reflective boards painted red

  • Fence on outrun painted yellow

  • Japanese jumper competes for the first time

  • Handrail installed at bottom of stairs

  • Chris Lamb wins for second time

  • Harris Hill holds only US FIS Cup event

  • Coaches’ stand painted yellow

  • Wooden building placed at bottom of hill

  • Harris Hill Ski Jump Committee awarded Jumping/Nordic combined Club of the Year at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association (USSA) Congress

2014

  • Women jumpers compete in Olympics for the first time

  • 16 inches of snow cancel Friday practice

  • Harris Hill holds only US FIS Cup event

  • Brattleboro born Nick Alexander makes Olympic team for second time

  • All four Olympic male ski jumpers are past Harris Hill jumpers (Anders Johnson,

  • Nick Fairall, Nick Alexander, Peter Frenette)

  • Linsey Van finishes 10th at the first Olympics for women jumpers

2015

  • Second coldest jump on record: 5°F

  • Largest number of countries compete: 8

  • First ever Turkish jumper competes

  • Sunday’s competition delayed 1/2 hour due to heavy snowfall overnight

  • Town of Brattleboro loses power for 1/2 hour during middle of Sunday’s competition, causing loss of PA system and electronic timing

  • Chain link fence installed around outrun

  • Judges’ stand painted blue; registration building painted red

  • Permanent snowmaking is connected to town water

  • Snowmaking pipes are extended to in-run

2016

  • Record warm temp 57°F on Sunday

  • Metal stairs installed at in-run

  • August: Land surrounding Harris Hill plot is given by The Windham Foundation to the newly formed Retreat Farm, Ltd.

2017

  • New hill record set, 104 meters / 341 feet, by 18-year old Slovenian Blaz Pavlik

  • Two days warm and sunny weather (57°F on Sunday) draw record crowds

  • Food and beer vendors run low

  • Metal stairs installed at base of in-run

2018

  • Another record year for crowds and gate proceeds

  • Great weather; 55° on Sunday

  • Named Outside Magazine’s Top 100 Winter Events in the U.S.

  • Installed rigid foam on in-run track and poly resin on side wall

  • Event live-streamed by USANS and BCTV crews; and watched by 33,000 internet viewers worldwide

  • Largest field of competitors (42) in recent years including 9 women

  • Defending 2-time champ Chris Lamb finishes 4th

  • Vermonter Tara Geraghty-Moats wins Women’s Open Class

  • Nordic combined event added; XC race at Brattleboro Country Club

  • Junior jumping program resurrected under leadership of Todd Einig

2019

  • Blaz Pavlic becomes the 5th jumper to win the Harris Hill Trophy twice

  • 3 of 5 judges at Harris Hill are women for the first time

  • Named Yankee Magazine’s Best New England Events 2019

2020

  • Winged Ski Trophy retired for the sixth time by Blaz Pavlic of Slovenia

  • Event named Vermont Top Ten Winter Event

  • New deflection boards

  • Second level added to coaches’ stand

  • New footbridge for Cedar Street entry

  • Harris Hill Nordic holds first tournament on 18m jump

2021

  • Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

2022

  • Harris Hill Ski Jump celebrates its Centennial 

  • Book published: "Harris Hill Ski Jump – The First 100 Years"

  • Lights installed at Harris Hill

  • Ski jumper sculpture installed on Main Street 

  • Electronic leader board used for first time

  • Patrick Arnone becomes oldest jumper at 55 years to jump Harris Hill

  • 70 former Harris Hill ski jumpers honored

  • All five 2022 Olympian jumpers are former Harris Hill competitors

  • Vintage style (1924) ticket sold to commemorate Harris Hill's 100th Anniversary

  • VT Ski and Snowboard Museum honors Jim Holland at Harris Hill

  • New Winged Ski Trophy unveiled by Sandy Harris 

  • Limited edition poster designed for 100th Anniversary

  • Harris Hill hosts first jumper from Iceland

2023

  • Slovenians take 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place 

  • New, more efficient snow gun purchased

  • Vermont Governor, Phil Scott, in attendance

  • Announcer Peter Graves elected to Vermont Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame 

  • Friday night exhibition Target Jump jump cancelled due to warm weather

2024

  • First night jump 

  • First jumper from France

  • Spencer Jones makes Junior National Team

  • Slovenians sweep top three spots 

  • Patrick Arnone becomes oldest jumper (57) to jump the new Harris Hill