January 9
UP, UP AND AWAY DAY
Jean-Pierre Blanchard made the first successful balloon flight in the United States on this day in 1793. Blanchard’s balloon, filled with hydrogen, took off from Philadelphia, PA, soared to 5,800 feet and eventually wound up some 15 miles away, in Woodbury, New Jersey.
President George Washington was in Philadelphia for the event, along with Thomas Jefferson, Henry Clay, Paul Revere, John Adams and other bigwigs. Just before takeoff, the President slipped Blanchard a note. Just what do you thing was in that mysterious note?
A) “Jean-Pierre, baby. See if you can score tickets for Martha and me to Palisades Park and stop and see if my dry cleaning is ready. Thanks, George.” or
B) The letter was intended to allay the fears and suspicions of local farmers who saw Blanchard drop out of the sky.
If you selected ‘B’, give yourself an A.
Rumor has it that Jean-Pierre had a copilot helping him on that historic flight: a little black dog. (No, we don’t know the dog’s name. Hey, we’re good, but not that good...)
Those Were the Days, the Today in History service from 440 International
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