Newton in Jasper County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Lowell R. Bayles

January 24, 1900 December 5, 1931

— World Famous Speed Pilot —

Lowell R. Bayles Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Jason Voigt, July 6, 2020

1. Lowell R. Bayles Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Newton, Illinois
Thompson Trophy Winner 1931

At 315 MPH, airplane structural failure caused his fatal accident, in Detroit at 1 PM on December 5, 1931, while attempting world speed record.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Disasters. A significant historical date for this entry is December 5, 1931.

Location. 38° 59.403′ N, 88° 9.705′ W. Marker is in Newton, Illinois, in Jasper County. Marker is on West Washington Street west of South Van Buren Street (Illinois Route 130), on the right when traveling west. Marker is on the grounds of Jasper County Courthouse, behind the courthouse. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 106 W Washington St, Newton IL 62448, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 7 other markers are within 12 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. You Are Not Forgotten (a few steps from this marker); Jasper County Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Jasper County Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Burl Ives

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(about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Peoples State Bank Veterans Memorial (about 300 feet away); Burl Ives Statue / Jasper County Notables (about 400 feet away); 1950 Census Population Center (approx. 11½ miles away).

Also see . . .
1. Lowell Bayles on Wikipedia. Born in the nearby town of Mason, Bayles graduated from Newton High School. He later worked as an electrician before taking an interest in flying. There are more details about the crash that took his life on this page. (Submitted on July 9, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)

2. Airplane Crash of Gee Bee Racer, 1931. Video footage of the fatal airplane crash that took Bayles' life, from the moment he stepped on the Gee Bee Z plane to where the crash site was being analyzed. From the Militaryvideosdotcom YouTube channel. (Submitted on July 9, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)

Photographed By Jason Voigt, July 6, 2020

2. Lowell R. Bayles Marker

Behind Jasper County Courthouse

Credits. This page was last revised on July 9, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 9, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 141 times since then and 53 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 9, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.