Albert Leo Stevens
Encyclopedia
Albert Leo Stevens was a pioneering balloonist.
of Czech parentage. He had brother Frank Stevens (1875-1958).
He began making balloon ascensions in 1889 at age 12, and began manufacturing balloons and dirigibles at the age of 20 in 1893. In 1895 he made his first parachute jump from a church spire in Montreal, Canada.
He participated in the Gordon Bennett Balloon Races. He flew one of the very first dirigibles in the United States in 1906.
He opened the first private airfield in the nation in 1909. Stevens also played a key role in the development of safety features for parachutes
.
On July 8, 1911 he ascended in a balloon from the Wanamaker's
store in New York City
heading toward Philadelphia, but he landed in West Nyack, New York
.
During World War I
he was a US Army instructor.
He died on May 8, 1944.
houses the Leo Stevens Glass Plate Photography Collection, 1900-1915.
Biography
He was born on March 9, 1873 or 1877 in Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
of Czech parentage. He had brother Frank Stevens (1875-1958).
He began making balloon ascensions in 1889 at age 12, and began manufacturing balloons and dirigibles at the age of 20 in 1893. In 1895 he made his first parachute jump from a church spire in Montreal, Canada.
He participated in the Gordon Bennett Balloon Races. He flew one of the very first dirigibles in the United States in 1906.
He opened the first private airfield in the nation in 1909. Stevens also played a key role in the development of safety features for parachutes
Parachutes
Parachutes is the debut album by English alternative rock band Coldplay, released by the record label Parlophone on 10 July 2000 in the United Kingdom. The album was produced by the band and British record producer Ken Nelson, excluding one track which was produced by Chris Allison...
.
On July 8, 1911 he ascended in a balloon from the Wanamaker's
Wanamaker's
Wanamaker's department store was the first department store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the first department stores in the United States. At its zenith in the early 20th century, there were two major Wanamaker department stores, one in Philadelphia and one in New York City at Broadway...
store in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
heading toward Philadelphia, but he landed in West Nyack, New York
West Nyack, New York
West Nyack is a hamlet in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Central Nyack; east of Nanuet; south of Valley Cottage and west of Upper Nyack. It is approximately 18 miles north of New York City...
.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he was a US Army instructor.
He died on May 8, 1944.
Legacy
There is the Leo Stevens Award. The National Air and Space MuseumNational Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and...
houses the Leo Stevens Glass Plate Photography Collection, 1900-1915.
External links
- Albert Leo Stevens at WikiaWikiaWikia is a free web hosting service for wikis . It is normally free of charge for readers and editors, deriving most of its income from advertising, and publishes all user-provided text under copyleft licenses. Wikia hosts several hundred thousand wikis using the open-source wiki software MediaWiki...
- The Otsego Farmer "Tributes Paid to A. Leo Stevens by Aerialist" May 12, 1944