The former Pioneer Ski Hill in the city of Negaunee is pictured. (Courtesy photo)

NEGAUNEE — Negaunee residents have enjoyed winter sports since the 1800s when there was a snowshoe club.

The Adelphi Rink, an indoor rink was located on Lincoln Street just behind the Breitung Hotel and was used for roller hockey, with the team name of Adelphis, similar to today’s softball in the Adelphi Rink.

The Jackson Bowl was an outdoor rink at the end of Iron street where hockey was played and skating for pleasure.

Lucy Hill was a great place for skiing and a toboggan ride. A toboggan may have ben something you had on your Christmas list.

Another favorite outdoor skating rink was in the area that is used as a parking lot for football games and baseball games.

“It had lights for night skating. There were warming shacks” one for boys and one for girls with benches where you could put your skates on.

You could warm up by the pot belly stove when you needed a break from skating. Music was played and boys skated with girls.

In the 1940s and 50s this is where the Negaunee Skating Club, presented the winter ice carnival, “Northern Lights.”

Skaters were dressed in costumes not fit to be worn in outdoor temperatures. Some names to remember from that era were Ruth Tompkins, Gertrude Helgren, Theresa Choquette, Elaine Hill (Juidici) Gertrude Lenten (Symons), and Dorothy Hill (Collins).

Dorothy Hill went on to skate professionally with the Chicago Ice Capades. Pictures from the Ice Capades can be seen at the Negaunee Museum.

It may have been in the late 1920s and 1930s that the Pioneer Ski Hill started on the bluff where the water tank is currently located.

Skiers crossed Rock street and went right down Pioneer Avenue. It has been said they went as far as Main street.

Wilbert Rasmussen, a 1950 graduate of Negaunee High School probably did not ski on this hill but Wilbert gained national acclaim in 1946, when at the age of 15 he smashed the record at Suicide Hill. He had a jump of 250 feet, breaking the record of 236 feet.

He was named to the National Ski Hall of Fame in 1988.

The complete history of Wilbert skiing accomplishments can be see at the Negaunee Museum.

Negaunee currently is home to the Luge run, off Lucy Hill in the Rolling Mill Location.

Skating is popular again with hockey at the Negaunee Ice Arena and also open skating.