Casper Oimoen was born in Norway in 1906, and immigrated to Minot at 17. He learned to ski in his homeland, and took up ski jumping after coming to North Dakota.
He couldn’t compete in the 1928 Olympics because he was not yet a U.S. citizen. He did compete in 1932, and again in 1936, as captain of the U.S. team. Olympic medals were elusive, but he did win over 400 medals and trophies in regional and national competition—many for first place. He was inducted into the U.S. Skiing Hall of Fame in 1963.

When he wasn’t soaring through the air on ski’s, Casper was a bricklayer. Working high up on scaffolding was not a problem for him. In the 1930’s he helped build the new state capitol, where his portrait now hangs with other honored North Dakotans. Casper Oimoen was awarded the Roughrider Award on this day in 1973.

Source:
http://www.governor.state.nd.us/awards/rr-gallery/oimoen.html

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