1910 Air Show
Portland Country Club and Livestock Association
at what is now the Rose City Golf Course
Significant air show occurs in Portland, Oregon
On March 3 to 5, 1910, 50,000 Oregonians were witness to an airplane flying for the 1st time. Prior to this event there were only stories. For instance. the Wright Brothers only flew in private settings.
This exhibition of man’s ability to fly was only the third air show ever in the United States.
Portland High Society shows up for the Air Show
Dressed in their finest Edwardian style, Portland’s high society came to see the Air Show in droves.
Price of a ticket $3 for the Covered Grandstand or a $1 for the Bleacher Seats.
Many Oregonians stood along the Sacramento ridgeline and watched the show for free.
Golden Eagle Soars Above the Crowd at Portland Country Club
The Beginning of Air Shows
In 1909 Glen Curtis flew this airplane in Rhiems France in front of 250,000 Frenchmen.
He won the race for the fastest airplane in the world. He then decided to create an air show throughout the US. Los Angeles was the first stop in January, Phoenix in February, then Portland in March. Here he soars above the crowd with Mt Tabor in the background.
White Stag founder purchases airplane in Oregon
Henry E Wemme founder of White Stag and the first automobile dealership in Oregon purchased this airplane for $5000. Rather than learn to fly himself he asked his personal mechanic Eugene Ely if he would learn.
Mr Ely, a seasoned racecar driver said, “it can’t be harder than driving a car.” However, it was and he crashed immediately. Embarrassed he then purchased plane and repaired it. He later joined The Curtis Flying Circus.
The Air Show features The Centuries 2 Greatest Machines
In this picture: A Glenn Curtis plane, the Golden Flyer, roars down the straight away chasing a 1909 Buick driven by Eugene Ely.
7 months from now Eugene Ely will make naval history.
The Air show excites the crowd
Crowds line the fences to see this incredible show. The noise must have been deafening. No mufflers were used
Later that year Eugene Ely makes Naval History
This photo shows Eugene Ely flying off the deck of a ship in November 1910.
Just 7 months after he taught himself to fly in an airplane bought in Portland from Henry E. Wemme.
Tragically on October 19, 1911 while flying at an exhibition Ely was late pulling out of a dive and crashed. He died on his birthday at age 25.