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To demonstrate the potential of transporting mail by air, the United States Post Office authorized a series of special air mail flights as part of the festivities at an international air meet held from September 23 to October 1, 1911 on Long Island, New York. This collection consists of a postcard sent on one of these air mail flights as well as a news clipping about the card's delivery.

Identifier

NASM.1998.0036

Date

1911

Provenance

J. Kenneth Bourgon, Gift, 1998, NASM.1998.0036.

Extent

0.05 Cubic feet (1 folder)

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of a postcard addressed to Miss [Elinore Engledrum] in South Bend, Indiana that was sent by her second cousin Frank via one of the special air mail flights that originated from Long Island, New York. The card is postmarked September 28, 1911 and was carried a few miles by airplane before being delivered the rest of the way by train. The front of the postcard features a view of Thomas Sopwith seated at the controls of a biplane. The collection also contains a news clipping that relates the story of the postcard's delivery but contains several inaccuracies including stating that the card was sent on the first authorized air mail flight (which actually took place on September 23, 1911), incorrectly stating that the postcard has a picture of Earle Ovington, and misquoting the inscription on the card. The article also refers to the recipient's name as "Elinore Engledrum" but the postcard itself appears to be addressed to "Elanore Engeldrum."

Arrangement note

Collection is arranged by type of material.

Rights

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Restrictions

No restrictions on access

Citation

Air Mail Postcard and Newspaper Article, NASM.1998.0036, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Topics

Aeronautics
Air mail service

Type

Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographic postcards
Newspaper clippings