St. Joseph in Berrien County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Pioneer Aviator

Photographed by Nathan Bierma, September 28, 2024

1. Pioneer Aviator Marker

Inscription.

On October 11 and 22, 1898, Augustus M. Herring flew a powered airplane on Silver Beach near this spot. Herring began flying experiments in the 1880's and in 1894-95 built model gliders for aviation researchers Octave Chanute and Samuel P. Langley. In 1898 Herring built an improved version of the Chanute-Herring glider powered by a compressed air motor of Herring's design. He flew the machine in two successful flights of about 50 and 72 feet. Although neither was a fully controlled flight, Herring's experiments helped prove airplanes possible. These flights predated the famous 1903 Wright Brothers' flight at Kitty Hawk by five years.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Air & Space. A significant historical date for this entry is October 11, 1898.

Location. 42° 6.456′ N, 86° 29.336′ W. Marker is in St. Joseph, Michigan, in Berrien County. It is on Lake Street 0.1 miles north of Park Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 101 Broad St, Saint Joseph MI 49085, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southwest Michigan

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and specifically in one of the Lake Michigan Shore counties. It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: St. Joseph Maritime Heritage (approx. ¼ mile away); Lighthouses on the Pier (approx. ¼ mile away); La Salle Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away); Silver Beach Amusement Park (approx. ¼ mile away); Lighthouses on the Bluff (approx. ¼ mile away); Eleven Inch Dahlgren (approx. ¼ mile away); a different marker also named Silver Beach Amusement Park (approx. 0.3 miles away); United States Life Saving Service (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Joseph.

Additional keywords. Aviation

Photographed by Nathan Bierma, September 28, 2024

2. Pioneer Aviator Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on October 8, 2024. It was originally submitted on October 7, 2024, by Nathan Bierma of Grand Rapids, Michigan. This page has been viewed 400 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 7, 2024, by Nathan Bierma of Grand Rapids, Michigan. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.