This collection chronicles the exploits of Charles F. Walsh during the years 1909-1912. There are five scrapbooks and three packets of information.
Charles F. Walsh (1877-1912) is credited with being the first man in California to build a practical flyable airplane, the Walsh 1911 Silver Dart, and received Pilot's License No. 1 issued by the Aero Club of California. Walsh was taught to fly by Lincoln Beachey in 1909, and he quickly gained fame as an aviator, travelling throughout the US and Cuba from 1910 through 1912. Walsh flew as an exhibition pilot for the Curtiss Company and was killed October 3, 1912 when his plane experienced structural failure at Trenton, New Jersey.
Identifier
NASM.XXXX.0046
Creator
Walsh, Charles, 1877-1912
Date
1903-1945 bulk 1909-1912
Provenance
Frank E. Martin, Gift, 1968
Extent
0.88 Cubic feet (2 flat boxes and 1 oversized folder)
Archival Repository
National Air and Space Museum Archives
Scope and Contents
This collection chronicles the exploits of Charles F. Walsh during the years 1909-1912, including the following: numerous photos of the Walsh 1911 Silver Dart, Curtiss biplanes and aircraft engines; photos of personalities such as Lincoln Beachey, Glenn Curtiss, Thomas Sopwith, Eugene Ely, John McCurdy, and Beckwith Havens; an original drawing of the Silver Dart dated 1908; miscellaneous memorabilia including a business card, tickets to air shows, benefits, and state fairs during 1911-1912; Walsh's Aero Club of California and Aero Club of America licenses; and a ticket to the Panama-California Exposition of 1915.
Arrangement note
The collection is arranged according to type of material; albums are arranged according to size of enclosure required to safely house them.
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
Charles F. Walsh Scrapbooks, NASM.XXXX.0046, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.