Aero Club of Worcester

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The Aero Club of Worcester, Mass., was formed 18 Nov. 1908 by a party of prominent Worcester businessmen following an enthusiastic address by famed autoist Charles J. Glidden, a Boston resident and vice president of the Aero Club of New England.

John P. Coghlin, president; W. R. Scofield, vice president; and Eben F. Thompson. Secretary-treasurer, were elected officers at the 18 Nov. 1908 gathering. At that time, Coghlin was either president of the Worcester Auto CIub or had just completed his term as the Auto Club's president. Including the officers, there were nine charter members, and it was decided that the club would immediately purchase a balloon to be called "Worcester." In June 1909, the Worcester Merchants Association endorsed the Aero Club's efforts to purchase this balloon. The Worcester Aero Club had its first balloon ascension from Crompton Park in Worcester on 18 June 1914. The name of the balloon and whether there had been previous ascensions elsewhere are not yet known.

On a previous visit to Worcester on 13 June 1908, Glidden, and Coughlin, then president of the Worcester Automobile Club, had announced that they would work together to establish a balloon ascension park in Worcester if sufficient gas could be supplied by the Worcester Gas Light Company.

Sources

  • 1908 NYT, 14 Jun.; 1908 Boston Daily Globe, 19 Nov.; 1909 Motor Cyclopaedia YB 110 Misc.; 1909 Christian Science Montior, 5 Jun.; 1914 CSM, 18 Jun.


Organization names Aero Club of Worcester
Entity type
Country US
City Worcester, Massachusetts
Affiliated with
Scope Local
Started aero 1909 or earlier
Ended aero
Keywords
Key people
Wikidata id