Elmira in Chemung County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Harris Hill

National Landmark of Soaring

National Soaring Museum Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Brian Scott, September 21, 2015

1. National Soaring Museum Monument

Inscription.
The Chemung Valley's pioneering soaring sites (*) of the early 1930's faced most of the area's prevailing winds. Take-off locations were selected daily to face the predicted winds. Gliders were launched by bungee cord into the wind so pilots could soar in the upward deflected air along the ridges or glide over the valley to seek thermal updrafts.

These take-off sites and Caton Avenue Airport were the center of activities until Harris Hill became the "Soaring Capital" in 1934.

This landmark honors the Chemung County community and the pioneering soaring pilots who flew here.

*Caton Avenue Airport
*South Mountain
*East Ridge
*Rhodes Farm (by Harris Hill)
*Close Farm

Erected 2000 by National Soaring Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1934.

Location. 42° 7.226′ N, 76° 54.017′ W. Marker is in Elmira, New York, in Chemung County. Marker is on Soaring Hill Drive. Located just south of The National Soaring Museum at the Harris Hill Gliderport. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 57 Soaring Hill Drive, Elmira NY 14903, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. World War II Glider Training at Harris Hill (a few

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steps from this marker); Rhodes Farm (approx. 0.3 miles away); Runonvea (approx. 1.7 miles away); First Settler (approx. 1.8 miles away); William Mapes (approx. 2.1 miles away); Miller Cemetery (approx. 2.1 miles away); World War II Memorial (approx. 3.8 miles away); Address by President Lincoln (approx. 3.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Elmira.

Regarding Harris Hill. The Harris Hill Gliderport is known as the Soaring Capitol of America.

Photographed By Brian Scott, September 21, 2015

2. National Soaring Museum Monument

Photographed By Brian Scott, September 21, 2015

3. National Soaring Museum Monument

Credits. This page was last revised on September 21, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 8, 2015. This page has been viewed 370 times since then and 43 times this year. Last updated on September 18, 2020, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 8, 2015, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.