Bladensburg in Prince George's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
First Unmanned Balloon Ascension (1784)
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 12, 2021
1. First Unmanned Balloon Ascension (1784) Marker
Inscription.
First Unmanned Balloon Ascension (1784). . On June 17, 1784, the first documented balloon ascension in America took place in a field near the town of Bladensburg. The man responsible for this remarkable event was an enterprising Prince George's County innkeeper and lawyer named Peter Carnes. Carnes conducted the balloon ascension as a public exhibition. It was originally intended to be a tethered, manned ascent, but while the balloon was being brought closer to town for the exhibition, a gust of wind blew the passenger basket against a fence and damaged it severely. Because of this mishap, it was unsafe for anyone to go aloft with the balloon, so a tethered, unmanned balloon ascent took place instead. However, one week later Carnes conducted another public exhibition of his balloon. This time the location was Baltimore, and the tethered balloon was sent aloft with a 13 year-old boy as a passenger.
On June 17, 1784, the first documented balloon ascension in America took place in a field near the town of Bladensburg. The man responsible for this remarkable event was an enterprising Prince George's County innkeeper and lawyer named Peter Carnes. Carnes conducted the balloon ascension as a public exhibition. It was originally intended to be a tethered, manned ascent, but while the balloon was being brought closer to town for the exhibition, a gust of wind blew the passenger basket against a fence and damaged it severely. Because of this mishap, it was unsafe for anyone to go aloft with the balloon, so a tethered, unmanned balloon ascent took place instead. However, one week later Carnes conducted another public exhibition of his balloon. This time the location was Baltimore, and the tethered balloon was sent aloft with a 13 year-old boy as a passenger.
Location. 38° 56.131′ N, 76° 56.332′ W. Marker is in Bladensburg, Maryland, in Prince George's County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Annapolis Road (Maryland Route 450) and 46th Street. Marker is in Bladensburg Waterfront Park,
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.2 miles south of the entrance at this intersection. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Bladensburg MD 20710, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 12, 2021
2. First Unmanned Balloon Ascension (1784) Marker
Photographed By Craig Swain, July 18, 2010
3. Bladensburg Balloon Park
The park is located north of the waterfront park, along Baltimore Avenue (US Alternate Highway 1).
Credits. This page was last revised on February 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 8, 2008, by F. Robby of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 3,066 times since then and 16 times this year. Last updated on November 18, 2011, by Keith S Smith of West Chester, Pennsylvania. Photos:1, 2. submitted on February 12, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on July 18, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.