Quincy in Adams County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Thomas Scott Baldwin 1858-1923

Photographed by Jason Voigt, May 12, 2020

1. Thomas Scott Baldwin 1858-1923 Marker

Inscription. The home of Major Thomas Scott Baldwin, aviation pioneer, once stood at this location. Baldwin invented the first folding parachute here in 1887, and by the 1890's had become one of the highest paid parachute exhibitionists in the nation. He built the first successful airship for the Army Aviation Signal Corps in 1908. In 1915 he built the famous D-1 dirigible for the Navy and two years later became the chief of the newly formed Army Aviation Signal Corps. In 1964 he was named posthumously to the Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Erected 1976 by Quincy Service League and the Illinois State Historical Society.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Science & Medicine. In addition, it is included in the Illinois State Historical Society series list.

Location. 39° 55.886′ N, 91° 22.064′ W. Marker is in Quincy, Illinois, in Adams County. It is on South 30th Street just south of Maine Street, on the right when traveling north. Marker is near the northwest corner of Baldwin

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Intermediate School. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3000 Maine Street, Quincy IL 62301, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Illinois.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Madison Park (approx. half a mile away); Dr. Thomas Edgar Musselman (approx. half a mile away); Charley's Run (approx. half a mile away); Quincy National Cemetery (approx. 0.6 miles away); In Honor of Those Who Gave the Ultimate Sacrifice (approx. 0.6 miles away); A National Cemetery System (approx. 0.6 miles away); Charles Henry Bull House (approx. 1.1 miles away); R. F. Newcomb House (approx. 1.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Quincy.

Also see . . .
1. Thomas Scott Baldwin.

Photographed by Jason Voigt, May 12, 2020

2. Thomas Scott Baldwin 1858-1923 Marker

From the National Aviation Hall of Fame's website, this is a profile for the enshrined innovator. (Submitted on May 14, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)

2. Thomas Scott Baldwin on Wikipedia. (Submitted on May 14, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)

<i> Prof. T. S. Baldwin</i> image. Click for full size.

London Stereoscopic Co. (courtesy of the California State Library), circa 1890

3. Prof. T. S. Baldwin

Baldwin Park Advertisement image. Click for full size.

Image courtesy of the Quincy Public Library, May 29, 1892

4. Baldwin Park Advertisement

"Advertisement from May 29, 1892 featuring a Balloon ascension and parachute descent of Thomas Scott Baldwin at Baldwin Park, Quincy, Illinois. Advertisement reads: "Baldwin Park Thos. S. Baldwin, Prop. and Mgr. Sunday May 29 grand Band Concert... Balloon ascension and parachute descent."

<i>Baldwin's Dirigible</i> image. Click for full size.

Photo courtesy of George Grantham Bain Collection, Library of Congress

5. Baldwin's Dirigible

Thomas Scott Baldwin Marker image. Click for full size.

Photo couresy of the Quincy Public Library, July 10, 1977

6. Thomas Scott Baldwin Marker

"Mrs. Betty Baldwin Sorbbing, granddaughter of Thomas Scott Baldwin shown viewing the historical marker for the home of Baldwin Park on the corner of 30th and Maine Streets. Carl Landrum was a speaker at the dedication. The park was opened in 1892 by T. Baldwin, the remaining buildings were razed in 1954 to make way for Quincy Senior High School and Baldwin Intermediate School. Baldwin Park was the site for the Adams County Fair in the 1920's."

Credits. This page was last revised on April 26, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 14, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 749 times since then and 46 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 14, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 24, 2020. 6. submitted on July 23, 2020. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.