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James Shand Stephens (1860 - 192?) was an early pioneer in aviation in the Midwest. Born in Nova Scotia, Canada, Stephens was educated as a professional engineer and worked as a mechanical engineer for several companies in Canada and the United States, including the White Bear Power and Light Company; the Hamm Brewing Company; the Milwaukee Railroad; and he served as chief electrician at the Columbia Exposition of 1892. After 1910, Stephens devoted most of his time to aeronautics. Stephens was an officer of the Illinois Aero Club, an editor of 'Aerial Age,' and also helped plan the International Aviation Meet in Grant Park (1911) and the Gordon Bennett Aeroplane Race (1912). Stephens was also the inventor of the Steco Aerohydroplane as well as the Steco Cyclecar. Stephens designed the Steco Aerohydroplane in 1909-1910, built it in 1911, and made the final assembly and mounted the engine in 1914. After the aircraft's test flights in July, 1914, it was dismantled and stored.

 Identifier

NASM.1997.0011

Creator

Stephens, James Shand, 1860-

Date

1910-1929

bulk 1910-1920

Provenance

Robert H. Adams, Gift, 1996, 1997-0011, unknown

Extent

0.15 Cubic feet (4 folders)

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of the following four series of early aviation photographs collected by James Stephens: five photographs of Katherine and Majorie Stinson; 33 photographs relating to the Goodyear Blimp and the construction of a blimp hangar; 25 photographs relating to Glenn Curtiss and Frank Woodruff; and 47 continental aviation photographs depicting air shows and expositions in Monaco, Madrid and Paris, -- these images were taken by a French agency and have French captions inscribed verso. Unfortunately, there are no photographs of Stephen's inventions included in this collection.

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

Topics

Aeronautics, Commercial

Aeronautics -- Exhibitions

Aeronautics -- Competitions

Aeronautics

Airships

Aeronautics -- Exhibitions -- Monaco

Aeronautics -- Exhibitions -- Madrid

Aeronautics -- Exhibitions -- Paris

Women in aeronautics

Type

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs