Jamestown Exposition
The Jamestown Exposition, held in 1907 for the Jamestown tricentennial, included an Aeronautics division which promoted diverse aspects of aeronautics and claimed the first exclusively aeronautical exposition building. It was governed by a committee called the Jamestown Aeronautical Congress which included members of the Aero Club of America as well as "noted scientists and prominent sportsmen". Willis S. Moore, Chief of the U.S. Weather Bureau, was president.[1] The secretary was Albert Francis Zahm, who participated in the Aeronautical Navigation Conference at 1893 World's Fair.[2]
See outline of exhibits: [1]
Balloon flights were delayed due to bad weather and shaky financing; the first event was a pigeon race to Washington, D.C., on 9 May, 1907. In a subsequent race on 19 May the birds went to Philadelphia and New York. At the end of May, Lincoln Beachey flew over the exhibition grounds in a dirigible balloon. Beachey exhibited precision flying at speeds up to 15mph.[2] On 7 June, Eugene Godet made a crash-fraught flight which ended up stuck on U.S.S. Alabama anchored at Hampton Roads. On 8 June the Exposition was dedicated; the speakers were:[1]
- Robert H. Sexton, Chief of the Department of Congress and Special Events,
- Augustus Post, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Jamestown Aeronautical Congress,
- Harry St. George Tucker, President of the Jamestown Exposition,
- Admiral C.M. Chester, U.S. Navy, and
- Israel Ludlow, Superintendent of the Bureau of Aeronautics
Admiral Chester "[stated] that the U.S. government would look to private experimenters for the practical solution of the problem of aerial locomotion, and that he hoped the Exposition at Jamestown in bringing together the models and ideas of many inventors, would be of great value to the science, and that the effort of the Jamestown officials deserve the enthusiastic co-operation of all interested in aerial navigation."[1]
The U.S. Army Signal Corps sent six men from Fort Omaha to attend the exposition; in September 1907 they received training in Washington from New York balloon-maker Leo Stevens.[2][3]
An "International Aeronautic Congress" with papers and speakers was scheduled to be held at the exposition on 28–30 October but was apparently relocated to New York at the last minute. Moore and Chester also spoke at the Congress, as did General James Allen, Chief Signal Officer.[2]
The exposition was not considered a great success, as many races were canceled. The company lost money and went bankrupt before the end of the year.[2]
The U.S. Navy, under Josephus Daniels, spent a considerable sum in 1917 to buy the property and install an aviation base there.[4]
Committees and officers
Jamestown Aeronautical Congress, 1907 is an official sort of publication which has long lists of committees and officers (see). These include:
- President: Willis L. Moore
- Secretary: Albert Francis Zahm
- Honorary Advisory Committee: Harry St. George Tucker, General James Allen, Willis L. Moore, Octave Chanute
- William J. Hammer, AF Zahm, Augustus Post, Ernest La Rue Jones, Carl Dienstbach, Hon. Charles W. Kohlsaat
Other notables selected unsystematically: Albert Leo Stevens, Wright Brothers, Abbott Lawrence Rotch, Capt. Chrles deForest Chandler, Augustus Moore Herring, Alan R. Hawley, Charles Matthews Manly, Cortlandt Field Bishop, Frank P. Lahm, J. C. McCoy, A. Roy Knabenshue, Major Krebs, Major Henry E. Hersey, Capt. Homer W. Hedge.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Israel Ludlow, "Aeronautics at the Jamestown Exposition", American Magazine of Aeronautics Vol. 1, No. 1, July 1907.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Linda Burdette, "The Jamestown Exposition", Virginia Aviation History Project, January 2012.
- ↑ Vernon L. Burge, Early History of Army Aviation.
- ↑ "Naval Aviation Stations Are Selected", Air Service Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1., July 12, 1917, p. 26.
| Event names | Jamestown Exposition, Jamestown Expo, Jamestown Aeronautical Congress |
|---|---|
| Event type | exhibition |
| Country | US |
| Locations | Jamestown |
| Start date | 1907-04-26 |
| Number of days | 219 |
| Tech focus | LTA, bird, Airplane, Kite, competition, Parachute, Instrument, Communications, Photography |
| Participants | * Willis L. Moore, Albert Francis Zahm, Harry St. George Tucker, James Allen, Willis L. Moore, Octave Chanute, William J. Hammer, Augustus Post, Ernest La Rue Jones, Carl Dienstbach, Charles W. Kohlsaat, Albert Leo Stevens, Wright Brothers, Abbott Lawrence Rotch, Chrles deForest Chandler, Augustus Moore Herring, Alan R. Hawley, Charles Matthews Manly, Cortlandt Field Bishop, Frank P. Lahm, J. C. McCoy, A. Roy Knabenshue, Major Krebs, Henry E. Hersey, Homer W. Hedge |
