RETRO INDY

First airmail delivery in the United States August 17, 1859 from Lafayette, Indiana.

INDY

On Aug. 17, 1859, 20,000 people gathered in Lafayette, Ind., to witness the launch of a manned balloon that would, for the first time, demonstrate the viability of cross-country air transportation to the East Coast and carry the first airmail delivery by the U.S. Postal Service. The voyage involved a giant gas-filled balloon bound for New York City and John Wise, a scientific pioneer in the exploration of manned flight. When the winds blew the wrong direction, however, the mammoth balloon landed near Crawfordsville, Ind. The mail was ultimately delivered to New York by train. One-hundred years after the balloon feat, the Postal Service issued a stamp for the anniversary. Photo submitted by Peter Agostinelli, senior account executive, Publicis Indianapolis.

Although the U.S. Postal Service did not begin regular mail delivery by airplane until 1918, two cities in Indiana can lay claim to the earliest official air mail flight — by hot air balloon.

On Aug. 17, 1859, some 20,000 people gathered in Lafayette, Ind., to witness the launch of the "Jupiter", piloted by Pennsylvania balloonist John Wise and carrying a locked bag containing 123 letters specially postmarked by the postmaster of Lafayette for the flight.

The delivery destination was New York City, but it was not to be. When Wise ascended, he found almost no wind and then finally caught a breeze — in the wrong direction. The Jupiter slowly drifted south, covering only 30 miles in five hours until Wise decided to abort the flight and settled to earth near Crawfordsville.

But the New York-bound letters did eventually get delivered. Wise handed the mail bag over to a railroad postal agent — who had it sent by train. At least one of the letters survives and is in the Smithsonian Museum.

Twenty years later, John Wise disappeared. By then 71, he was still flying and his balloon was last seen drifting out over Lake Michigan.