DT Data Page #: 251

Newspaper: Humboldt Times

Newspaper Date: 4/28/1929

Page #: 12

Item Type: History

Place: Humboldt County

Text: "World's First Airplane Flight Made in Humboldt" Professor Montgomery Experimented with 'Soaring Machine' at Rohnerville in the (1890's ?). Good detailed article noting the Wright brothers spent one year in the early 1880's in Rohnerville. Charles Carr, rancher in Rohnerville, recalled going to school with the Wright brothers. Orville was 12 or 13 and Wilbor was 15 - 16. The brothers made their first flight on 12/17/1903. Charles Carr remembers seeing Professor Montgomery in flight in his soaring machine one evening about 32 yrs ago. It had a noisy motor. Carr got a close up view of the plane hidden in the bushes one day while picking blackberries on the bluff behind the College (St. Joseph). In later years (1918) the heirs of Montgomery sued the Wright brothers saying they had incorp. some of Montgomery's idea in their plane.

Key Words: Airplane, Wright Brothers, Soaring Machine

Microfilm Call # : MF 10