“TALES FROM THE HOME OF THE WORLD’S WORST WEATHER” EXHIBIT UNVEILED AT THE WEATHER DISCOVERY CENTER

North Conway, NH—December 6, 2018 - The Mount Washington Observatory has recently unveiled an exhibit that was a “long-time” in the making. The new “Tales From the Home of the World’s Worst Weather” exhibit is now available for guests to view. Stop into the Weather Discovery Center in downtown North Conway where you can hear stories, folklore and the grit of the earlier days of the Mount Washington Observatory.

This exhibit features recorded stories from founder Alex MacKenzie's son Ken MacKenzie, former Observer Greg Gordon and former Director Guy Gosselin. The exhibit is part of a larger Oral History Project conducted by Director of Education Brian Fitzgerald that focused on archiving history of the organization through personal accounts. Other interviewees included former Director of Summit Operations Ken Rancourt, Trustee Jack Middleton and daughter of founder Bob Monahan, Linda Dresch.

“Since resuming weather observations in 1932, the Observatory has generated its own share of ‘lore’ on the mountain, along with a plethora of information regarding how the weather station operated over the years including everything from the types of instruments used to the best high-altitude chocolate chip cookie recipes,” said Brian Fitzgerald Director of Education. “This ‘institutional knowledge’ has been passed down in a variety of ways over time, and through the tireless work of those like Dr. Peter Crane, Curator of the Gladys Brooks Memorial Library, many important documents, photos, video and artifacts have been archived for future benefit.”

The Observatory’s Oral History Project is made possible by grants from the New Hampshire and Gibson-Woodbury Charitable Foundations. The Observatory would like to thank videographer Tom Guilmette once again for his expert services, and is particularly grateful to the participating interviewees and their families for taking part in this project.

The Weather Discovery Center is open daily from 10:00am-3:00pm in the winter months. Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for children ages 7-17. Admission is free for children ages 6 and under and Mount Washington Observatory and ASTC members.

About Mount Washington Observatory

Mount Washington Observatory is a private, nonprofit, member-supported institution with a mission to advance understanding of the natural systems that create the Earth's weather and climate. Since 1932, the Observatory has been monitoring the elements from its weather station on the summit of Mount Washington, using this unique site for scientific research and educational outreach. For more information, call (800) 706-0432 or visit MountWashington.org.

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