Fulton Flight Scrapbook

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.