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- Leon Bollee Sitting at the Controls of the Wright Flyer at Camp d'Auvours, near Le Mans, France, 1908-1909 - Leon Bollee was a close and important friend to Wilbur Wright during Wright's airplane demonstrations in France in 1908. Bollee offered Wright workspace and a crew of mechanics in his Le Mans automobile factory, and he asked for nothing in return. Nevertheless, Wright repaid the favor by taking Bollee up for a flight.
- 1908-1909
- Collections - Artifact
Leon Bollee Sitting at the Controls of the Wright Flyer at Camp d'Auvours, near Le Mans, France, 1908-1909
Leon Bollee was a close and important friend to Wilbur Wright during Wright's airplane demonstrations in France in 1908. Bollee offered Wright workspace and a crew of mechanics in his Le Mans automobile factory, and he asked for nothing in return. Nevertheless, Wright repaid the favor by taking Bollee up for a flight.
- Wilbur Wright and Passenger during a Flight over Camp D'Avours, near Le Mans, France, 1908-1909 - The Wright brothers are famous for their first flight in a powered, heavier-than-air craft on December 17, 1903. It was not until August 8, 1908 that they made their first official public demonstration of their unique controllable flyer. This shows Wilbur Wright flying near the ground while taking off at Les Hunandières horse racing track near Le Mans, France.
- 1908-1909
- Collections - Artifact
Wilbur Wright and Passenger during a Flight over Camp D'Avours, near Le Mans, France, 1908-1909
The Wright brothers are famous for their first flight in a powered, heavier-than-air craft on December 17, 1903. It was not until August 8, 1908 that they made their first official public demonstration of their unique controllable flyer. This shows Wilbur Wright flying near the ground while taking off at Les Hunandières horse racing track near Le Mans, France.
- Rudy Ruzicska at Muzzle Loaders Festival in Greenfield Village, June 1967 - Greenfield Village hosted an annual Muzzle Loaders Festival for more than thirty years, from the mid-1950s to the late 1980s. The event attracted hundreds of participants, recreating activities from 1830 to 1865. Visitors could see black powder shooting demonstrations and competitions, mid-1800s craft presentations, costume contests, parades, and other ceremonies.
- 24 June 1967 - 25 June 1967
- Collections - Artifact
Rudy Ruzicska at Muzzle Loaders Festival in Greenfield Village, June 1967
Greenfield Village hosted an annual Muzzle Loaders Festival for more than thirty years, from the mid-1950s to the late 1980s. The event attracted hundreds of participants, recreating activities from 1830 to 1865. Visitors could see black powder shooting demonstrations and competitions, mid-1800s craft presentations, costume contests, parades, and other ceremonies.
- Rudy Ruzicska Posing for Muzzle Loaders Festival Promotional Materials, 1969 - Rudy Ruzicska was a long-time photographer at The Henry Ford. He started his 66-year-long career in 1956 while still in high school, working part-time in maintenance and cleaning. When a position opened in photography, he took it, remaining there until he retired in 2022. Rudy also actively promoted the Muzzle Loaders Festival, an annual event once held at The Henry Ford.
- February 01, 1969
- Collections - Artifact
Rudy Ruzicska Posing for Muzzle Loaders Festival Promotional Materials, 1969
Rudy Ruzicska was a long-time photographer at The Henry Ford. He started his 66-year-long career in 1956 while still in high school, working part-time in maintenance and cleaning. When a position opened in photography, he took it, remaining there until he retired in 2022. Rudy also actively promoted the Muzzle Loaders Festival, an annual event once held at The Henry Ford.
- Crowd Gathered to Watch Demonstration Flights by Wilbur Wright, France, 1908-1909 - Wilbur Wright's many demonstration flights in France in 1908 and 1909 were spectacular events. Some in Europe had begun to doubt the Wrights' achievement at Kill Devil Hills. When Wilbur took to the skies over Le Mans, demonstrating more control and achieving more distance than his rivals, crowds flocked to watch his apparent mastery of the airplane. The skeptics were silenced.
- 1908-1909
- Collections - Artifact
Crowd Gathered to Watch Demonstration Flights by Wilbur Wright, France, 1908-1909
Wilbur Wright's many demonstration flights in France in 1908 and 1909 were spectacular events. Some in Europe had begun to doubt the Wrights' achievement at Kill Devil Hills. When Wilbur took to the skies over Le Mans, demonstrating more control and achieving more distance than his rivals, crowds flocked to watch his apparent mastery of the airplane. The skeptics were silenced.
- Crowd Watching Wilbur Wright Preparing the Flyer, France, 1908-1909 - Wilbur Wright's many demonstration flights in France in 1908 and 1909 were spectacular events. Some in Europe had begun to doubt the Wrights' achievement at Kill Devil Hills. When Wilbur took to the skies over Le Mans, demonstrating more control and achieving more distance than his rivals, crowds flocked to watch his apparent mastery of the airplane. The skeptics were silenced.
- 1908-1909
- Collections - Artifact
Crowd Watching Wilbur Wright Preparing the Flyer, France, 1908-1909
Wilbur Wright's many demonstration flights in France in 1908 and 1909 were spectacular events. Some in Europe had begun to doubt the Wrights' achievement at Kill Devil Hills. When Wilbur took to the skies over Le Mans, demonstrating more control and achieving more distance than his rivals, crowds flocked to watch his apparent mastery of the airplane. The skeptics were silenced.
- Wilbur Wright and His First French Pupil, Comte de Lambert, Pau, France, 1909 - After his triumphant demonstration flights at Le Mans in the fall of 1908, Wilbur Wright relocated to Pau, in the south of France, for the winter. His brother Orville and sister Katharine soon joined him there. Wilbur made 64 flights at Pau in February and March of 1909. The Wrights attracted constant visits from monarchs, politicians, business tycoons, and reporters.
- 1909
- Collections - Artifact
Wilbur Wright and His First French Pupil, Comte de Lambert, Pau, France, 1909
After his triumphant demonstration flights at Le Mans in the fall of 1908, Wilbur Wright relocated to Pau, in the south of France, for the winter. His brother Orville and sister Katharine soon joined him there. Wilbur made 64 flights at Pau in February and March of 1909. The Wrights attracted constant visits from monarchs, politicians, business tycoons, and reporters.
- Wilbur Wright Flying at Centocelle, Italy, 1909 - Following his triumphant flights in France, Wilbur Wright traveled to Italy to make additional demonstrations in April 1909. Monarchs, politicians, and business leaders watched Wright soar over an open plain at Centocelle, some 12 miles outside Rome. Wright also trained two Italian pilots, Mario Calderara and Umberto Savoia, while he was there.
- 1909
- Collections - Artifact
Wilbur Wright Flying at Centocelle, Italy, 1909
Following his triumphant flights in France, Wilbur Wright traveled to Italy to make additional demonstrations in April 1909. Monarchs, politicians, and business leaders watched Wright soar over an open plain at Centocelle, some 12 miles outside Rome. Wright also trained two Italian pilots, Mario Calderara and Umberto Savoia, while he was there.
- Making Candles at Susquehanna House, Greenfield Village, 1956-1957 -
- 1956-1957
- Collections - Artifact
Making Candles at Susquehanna House, Greenfield Village, 1956-1957
- Preparing the Wright Flyer's Launching Derrick, France, 1908-1909 - The Wright brothers' early airplanes had no wheels, just simple landing skids. To achieve takeoff, they devised a clever catapult system. The airplane was attached, with cables and pulleys, to a weight suspended in a tower. When the weight fell, it pulled the plane along a wooden rail fast enough to generate the necessary lift.
- 1908-1909
- Collections - Artifact
Preparing the Wright Flyer's Launching Derrick, France, 1908-1909
The Wright brothers' early airplanes had no wheels, just simple landing skids. To achieve takeoff, they devised a clever catapult system. The airplane was attached, with cables and pulleys, to a weight suspended in a tower. When the weight fell, it pulled the plane along a wooden rail fast enough to generate the necessary lift.