South St. Louis Aero Club
The South St. Louis Aero Club was formally organized 24 July 1909 in the open air in the yard of M. A. Heimann's balloon factory at 13th and Rutger Streets. Heimann's four balloons were to be turned over to the club. (The club appears to have existed at least informally prior to that for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on 17 July that Miss Julia Hoerner had been made a member of the South St. Louis Aero Club and was to accompany Capt. John Berry in a balloon ascension under the club's auspices the following day.) A constitution and bylaws were to have been adopted and papers of incorporation prepared on 4 Aug. 1909. The club's constitution committee was to recommended the adoption of the bylaws of the Aero Club of America with some slight changes to suit local conditions. The club was sometimes referred to as the South Side St. Louis Aero Club.
At the club's organization on 24 July 1909, officers elected included: Charles Nugent, president; Charles F. Wenneker, Sheridan Webster, and W. C. Fox, vice presidents; Samuel Gutman, secretary; Henry Neun, treasurer; and Capt. John Berry, instructor in aeronautics. Heiman declined an office but agreed to serve on the club's executive committee. Some 250 members were reported at this meeting and by 1 August membership had reached 300. On 1 Aug. 1909, club representatives made an ascension in the balloon "University City" at the opening of the new balloon grounds of the St. Louis Aero Club. Heimann withdrew his support circa September 1909 after the club objected to his plan to conduct an independent aeronautic carnival during the St. Louis Centennial. As a result, the club moved its headquarters from Heimann's factory to Concordia Club Hall.
Sources
- 1909 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 25 July, 1 Aug. and 21 Sept.; 1910 Aircraft, 1 Mar.;
| Organization names | South St. Louis Aero Club |
|---|---|
| Entity type | |
| Country | US |
| City | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Affiliated with | |
| Scope | Local |
| Started aero | 1909 |
| Ended aero | |
| Keywords | |
| Key people | |
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- Address: Heiman's Balloon Factory, 13th and Rutger Streets, St. Louis; then Concordia Club Hall, 1441 Chouteau Avenue, St. Louis (1909)
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