History:

Cannon Mountain was the site of the first passenger tramway in North America. The fact that it was built at all is a tribute to the vision of a few men, and the foresight of the New Hampshire Legislature.

From its construction in 1938 to its 1980 retirement, 6,581,338 passengers made the thrilling 2.1 mile journey up Cannon Mountain. The dedication of Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway II on May 24, 1980 marked the end of a 42 year era, and the exciting beginning of a bright new future for Cannon Mountain.

Alexander Bright, a famous skier, conceived the idea of building a tramway in NH during his trip to Europe as a member of the US Olympic Ski Team in 1933. In Europe, Bright had seen passenger carrying tramways and recognized that building one in NH could foster the growth of skiing and summer tourism in the White Mountains.