Did you know that the birthplace of waterskiing is Lake Pepin, Minnesota?

In 1922, Ralph Samuelson got inspiration from the times he skied during the winter. He picked up some wooden boards, and some leather from a harness to hold his feet in. Later on, he would land the first-ever jump on a water ski, and be the first to fly on skis and be a speed skier thanks to being attached to a small plane. Sadly, Ralph never filed a patent for the water ski, and never made any money from his invention.

Enjoy this documentary about Ralph Samuelson published by The Lake City Historical Society and learn more about the forefather of this classic summer activity:

Image/Video Credits: Visit Lake City, WCCO-CBS Minnesota, Lake City Historical Society

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Born and raised in New Hampshire, Ian Wood became passionate about the ski industry while learning to ski at Mt. Sunapee. In high school, he became a ski patroller at Proctor Ski Area. He travelled out...