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Community Corner

Post Office Ceremony Commemorates Centennial of Airmail Flight

Earle Ovington carried almost 2,000 pieces of mail in his plane, delivering it to Mineola.

The "Centennial of Airmail Flight" ceremony was held Friday at the Garden City Post Office, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first official airmail flight in the United States by Earle L. Ovington.

The 1911 International Aviation Tournament had 10,000 spectators that day. During the event Ovington took off in a Bleriot monoplane at the Nassau Boulevard Aerodrome. It was located in the area of what is now Stratford School. In his plane he carried almost 2,000 pieces of mail that was delivered to Mineola by dropping it from above.

The 2011 event at the post office was arranged by local history buff Cyril Smith and president of the Ephemera Society of America Dr. Art Groten, who both spoke during the ceremony. To honor the date the post office had a special Garden City cancel to commemorate the flight. Groten is the designer of the postal covers.

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“This place was a hotbed of aviation. What happened here is that Postmaster Hitchcock foresaw that aviation would carry mail from one point to another on a set schedule and route. There is a lot of interest in this and I’m very pleased,” Groten said.

Ceremony attendees were delighted to meet author and lecturer Robert D. Campbell of Uxbridge, MA as well as others interested in philately (the study of postage stamps) and aviation as they enjoyed snacks. Campbell wrote the book, Reminiscences of a Birdman, a biography of Ovington, which he graciously donated a copy of to the Garden City Public Library. He gave a speech about the brave and daring flying pioneer.

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During the ceremony Campbell presented a print of the painting by American Society of Aviation artist Steve Remington entitled “First Aeroplane Mail Carrier.”

The second part of the day was a VIP tour of the Cradle of Aviation Museum in eastern Garden City, coordinated by volunteer docent Mike Brosnan and Joshua Stoff, museum curator. Stoff is known for his many books on Long Island aviation and has been interviewed on the History Channel with programs on aviation.

At the museum Groten presented a bronze plaque to the Cradle of Aviation commemorating the 1911 event. Campbell also presented a print by Remington to Stoff. 

Smith and Brosnan later took guests on a tour of Garden City where many aviation luminaries made history, including the area where the Nassau Boulevard Aerodrome was located, Ovington’s house on Nassau Boulevard and the Curtiss Engineering Building.

“We were impressed,” remarked Campbell with his wife, Rosemary, after the tour.

Fellow Garden City resident and history buff Bill Bellmer reminded everyone about the September exhibit at the Garden City Public Library that he and Brosnan are exhibiting in the Gallery on early aviation featuring historic photos, including several from the museum.

For information on how to purchase Campbell’s book write info@LivingHistoryPressLLC.com or visit www.Amazon.com. Stoff’s books are sold at the Cradle.

Editor's Note: Aviation historians are seaching for a home near Nassau Boulevard in the Estates section that has a plaque in it that reads "The Aviary." This might be located on a fireplace mantel. Please e-mail the author at suziealvey@gmail.com.

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