Guide to the Fulton Flight Scrapbook


Title:
Fulton Flight Scrapbook
Repository:
Wright State University Libraries Special Collections and Archives
Phone: 937-775-2092
http://www.libraries.wright.edu/special/
Creator:
Unknown
Dates:
1908-1910
Quantity:
1.6 linear feet
Abstract:
This collection consists of an individual's scrapbook containing clippings and other memorabilia pertaining to the Fulton Flight Contest sponsored by the Aero Club of America in New York in 1909. Included are announcements of the contest, promotional material and entry form, news clippings describing the contest, commemorative postcards and information on preparation by the aviators. The scrapbook is unbound and the pages housed in three boxes.
Identification:
MS-158
Language:
The records are in English

History of the Fulton Flight Contest

The Fulton Flight Contest was part of the Hudson Fulton Celebration in 1909 celebrating the 300th anniversary of the discovery of the Hudson River and the anniversary of Robert Fulton's first successful application of steam to navigate the Hudson River. The Fulton Flight Contest was sponsored by the World of New York and the Aero Club of America. The World offered a $10,000 prize to the first person making the flight between New York City and Albany, New York in a mechanically propelled airship. Wilbur Wright and Glenn Curtiss flew during the event. Wilbur Wright made a 20-mile flight up the Hudson River from Governors Island to Grant's Tomb and back in 33 minutes. It was the first long flight over U.S. waters.

Scope and Content

The scrapbook documents the planning, events, and publicity of the Fulton Flight Contest sponsored by the World of New York and the Aero Club of America as part of the Hudson-Fulton Celebration of September 25-October 9, 1909. The World offered a $10,000 prize to the first person making the flight between New York City and Albany, New York in a mechanically propelled airship. The material dates 1908-1910, with the bulk dated 1909. All the materials are glued onto scrapbook pages that have been unbound.

The first box contains four folders of material describing the announcement of the contest and the dirigible balloon attempts by Capt. Thomas Scott Baldwin and George B. Tomlinson, as well as that of John Roeder's aeroplane dirigible; promotional material; the entry form and other ephemera related to the celebration; newspaper clippings of advertisements and entries. Of note are original photographs and responses to invitations to the event from notables such as the Duke of Edinburgh.

The second box comprises four folders, the contents of which describe: preparation of aviators (mostly regarding Glenn Hammond Curtiss); the Fulton Flight itself (Curtiss won the $10,000 by flying the 137 miles in two hours at an average speed of 54.07 mph at 1000 feet.); other proposed flights (e.g. St. Louis, Philadelphia); and miscellaneous.

The third box consists of one large folder. It contains clipping and telegraph messages detailing the lead up to the contest.

Statement of Arrangement

The collection is arranged in three portfolio boxes. The pages in the scrapbook have been unbound and separated. The scrapbook cover is located in box one.
Box 1: Announcements and Early Attempts, 1908-1910
Box 2: Fulton Flight and the Preparation of Glen H. Curtiss, 1908-1910
Box 3: Additional Announcements and Preparation of Aviators, 1908-1910

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Restrictions on Access

There are no restrictions on accessing the scrapbook; however, due to the very fragile and extremely brittle state of the pages, researchers are encouraged to use the microfilm of the scrapbook, when possible.The scrapbook is on microfilm in the reading room.

Related Material: Related Material

Santacroce, Joe. The Hudson-Fulton Celebration of 1909: a video production, 2000.DVD is available in the reading room (HE 554.A5.H83)

Sanford, John, "The First Aerial Canoe: Wilbur Wright and the Hudson-Fulton Flights" (2001).Following in the Footsteps of the Wright Brothers: Their Sites and Stories. 4
https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/following/symposium/program/4


Subject Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Aeronautics -- History
Airships -- United States -- History -- 20th century
Hudson-Fulton Celebration, 1909

Persons:

Curtiss, Glenn Hammond, 1878-1930
Wright, Wilbur, 1867-1912

Organizations/Corporations:

Aero Club of America

Places:

Albany (N.Y.) -- History
New York (N.Y.) -- History

Material Types:

Clippings (information artifacts)
Photographs
Postage stamps
Postcards
Scrapbooks

Technical Requirements

The original 12” x 17.5” scrapbook is extremely brittle. Limit handling. Take extreme care when handling the pages, as clippings and pages are flaking.


Preferred Citation

[Description of item, Date, Box #, Folder #], MS-158, Fulton Flight Scrapbook, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.

Acquisition Information

Provenance is unknown.

Processing Information

The processor disassembled the scrapbook pages and arranged them by topic. As a result, the printed sequential numbers on the pages are not in numerical order.


Other Finding Aid

The finding aid is available on the Special Collections & Archives, Wright State University Libraries web site at
https://wright.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/818.


Collection Inventory


Box 1
Photographs; Announcement of contest; Preliminary attempts; Description of New York World offer; List of publicity efforts; Dirigibles; Attempts and failures; Agreement of World and Aero Club of America; Entry form; Newspaper Editorials; Publicity; Stamps; Commemorative Postcards; Invitation responses from notable guests; Newspaper Clippings from Clipping Service of Advertisements and Entries, 1908-1910




Box 2
Preparation of aviators; arrival to begin flights; Fulton Flight - Curtiss; Proposed other flights; Miscellaneous, 1908-1910




Box 3
Promotions of Contest; Clippings discussing potential contest entries, 1909-1910