1932 Lake Placid - III Olympic Games

  • Main Street, Lake Placid

The year was 1932. The world was in the depths of the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt was the governor of New York State, and the tiny Adirondack Mountain village of Lake Placid hosted the III Olympic Winter Games. Roosevelt officially opened the Games February 4.

More than 350 athletes from 17 countries competed, including many who would become legendary. By the end of the afternoon, Jack Shea of Lake Placid had won two gold medals in speed skating, becoming the first athlete to win two gold medals at the same Olympics.

Sonja Henie, the "Norwegian Doll," figure skated to her second of three consecutive Olympic golds, a feat that has never been equaled since. Billy Fiske drove the U.S. team to gold in the four-person bobsled competition.