Iola Winter Sports Club
The Iola Winter Sports Club’s origins trace back to January 11, 1910, with the organization of the Iola Ski Club. The first organized ski jumping tournament in Waupaca County was held at the School House Ski Hill, located in the 300 block of west Iola Street, on January 30, 1910.
A second Iola hill (Slaughterhouse ski Hill) was erected five blocks east of Main Street in December, 1910, a location now within Glacier Wood Golf Course. On Sunday, January 15, 1911, the first tournament was held there.
The third hill (Knutson Ski Hill) was built in 1913, with the first tournament being held there on February 16, 1913. The Iola Ski Club held tournaments at Knutson Hill until World War I. In February, 1920, the scaffold was dismantled and the materials sold off due to lack of interest, but local skiers continued to compete at other hills through the 1920s and 1930s.
Hogsback Ski Hill was built just north of Iola east of Hwy 49 in 1938. The first tournament held there was on Sunday, February 27, 1938; the first night tournament on March 5, 1939. On March 10, 1938; the Iola Ski Club reorganized as the Iola Winter Sports Club. The last tournament at Hogsback was held on Sunday, February 20, 1955.
Norseman Hill, the fifth ski hill, was opened in 1959. The first tournament was held on Sunday, February 22, 1959. It currently has 5, 10, 30, 40 and 60 meter hills, the latter having been built in 1996.
Marker can be reached from County Route MM 1.5 miles west of Wisconsin Route 49.
Courtesy hmdb.org
