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FISHERS-The trip-the first to deliver U.S. mail by flight-didn’t quite go as Prof. John Wise had planned.
Amidst great fanfare, Wise, a Philadelphia native and pioneer in manned flight, on Aug. 17, 1859, was prepared to show that mail could be delivered cross-country as his balloon would be lofted by the winds from Lafayette to his expected destination of New York City.
Estimates were that 20,000 people had gathered in Lafayette for the grand event. A photograph of the time shows the hot-air balloon, in among Lafayette buildings of the town square, prior to its launch.
No doubt with anticipation at a fever pitch, the balloon was sent aloft. The great-and first-delivery by mail by on its way!
It came down near Crawfordsville.
The winds had refused to cooperate. Lacking the kinds of weather systems data available today, what Wise hoped would be eastward-blowing winds instead blew to the south. His planned voyage of hundreds of miles instead ended down the road less than 40 miles away.
Why might we be especially interested? Because Conner Prairie, central Indiana’s interactive history park, has re-created the balloon ascent and you can be a balloon passenger if you wish.
No, you’re not going to float off to New York City, or to Crawfordsville for that matter. Conner Prairie’s balloon-and it’s a big one, 110 feet in height, and filled with helium rather than hot air-is tethered to the ground by a steel cable so that passengers go up 350 feet or so.
Still, that’s high enough so that passengers can gain a panoramic view of Conner Prairie and the neighboring countryside. Each ride lasts about 15 to 20 minutes and the balloon gondola can carry up to 20 guests per flight. (See “If You Go” box for more details.)
I happened to be there, ready for a ride, at one of the times when “Prof. Wise” was on hand to explain what happened in 1859. He also took up a packet of mail which he planned to throw over the side to “postal authorities” below. This throw landed on a nearby roof, which some observers remarked seemed to often happen.
Conner Prairie’s investment in this adventure cost about $2 million. It is expected to continue for some time, year-round, with ascents stopped only by weather conditions, mostly because of winds exceeding 23 miles per hour. (Wind velocity frequently is higher off the ground than on, so be certain to check the Conner Prairie Web site for the 1859 Balloon Voyage icon or call before you go.)
Unlike Wise, this balloon pilot has Internet access for weather conditions, airspeed indicator, altimeter and vertical speed indicator on his control box.
So what happened to that mail that came down at Crawfordsville? It was sent on by train to New York City. Despite this, for some reason the U.S. Postal Service declared Wise’s attempt to be a “success.”
Go figure.
Next week: A really big arts festival.
EARL CONN’s “Traveling Indiana” appears each Sunday in this newspaper. If you have a favorite Hoosier site you would like to see featured, contact him at The News-Sun, P. O. Box 39, Kendallville, Ind. 46755, e-mail
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or telephone him at 1-765-289-2080.
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