The New Hampshire graphic highlights the Mount Washington Observatory, which is dedicated to advancing the understanding of Earth's weather and climate systems. It achieves this through various means, including operating a weather station on the summit of Mount Washington, conducting research, offering educational programs, and interpreting the region's heritage. In 1934, the Observatory measured a world-record wind velocity of 231 MPH.
Cats have been a continuous presence at the Summit Observatory since its beginnings in the 1930s as a weather station. The first cats were mainly strays brought up to serve as mouse-catchers and to offer companionship to the observers. As decades have passed since the 1930s, the summit cats have gained fame.
I created the New Hampshire graphic in 2005. At that time, the resident cat at the Observatory was "Nin."
I thought it would be fun to include him in the graphic. Nin ruled the summit during the mid-1990s and retired from his Observatory post in 2007. He passed away on July 14, 2009.
I thought it would be fun to include him in the graphic. Nin ruled the summit during the mid-1990s and retired from his Observatory post in 2007. He passed away on July 14, 2009.
Nin was a rescued stray cat from Vermont and found his way to the Observatory in the mid 1990's with former observer Mark Ross-Parent. Over the twelve years that Nin ruled the summit, his furry face became nearly as well known as the mountain's weather itself. He brought joy to weather observers, interns, volunteers, visitors, website viewers and fans across the country. He certainly brought smiles and laughs to thousands of Mt. Washington State Park visitors, who undoubtedly scratched their heads with bewilderment when they noticed a rotund white cat patrolling the top of the tallest mountain in New England. For the Obs crew, Nin made their cold, concrete mountaintop workplace feel a little bit like home. He was intelligent, funny and had quite the personality.
When Nin retired from his Observatory post in December of 2007, the story swept across the country and around the world. Observatory members sent in newspaper clippings from all across the nation. The story could be found in print and on television, radio and Internet, coast to coast and as far away as China, Austria and France. On the day the story of Nin's retirement broke, the Observatory website had one of the biggest days of web traffic ever, surpassed only by their feature in National Geographic Magazine.
When Nin retired from his Observatory post in December of 2007, the story swept across the country and around the world. Observatory members sent in newspaper clippings from all across the nation. The story could be found in print and on television, radio and Internet, coast to coast and as far away as China, Austria and France. On the day the story of Nin's retirement broke, the Observatory website had one of the biggest days of web traffic ever, surpassed only by their feature in National Geographic Magazine.
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Another indicator of how special Nin was:
a children's book entitled Cat in the Clouds was written about his days at the Observatory. It was penned by former observer Eric Pinder and published by The History Press. For years to come, Nin's story will continue to touch the lives of children across the country through this beautifully illustrated picture book. |
