Ballooning in North Adams
Balloons containing thousands of cubic feet are filling up with gasses while sandbags are holding the balloons down, all while crowds are gathered around eagerly waiting for the balloon ascensions in North Adams, Massachusetts.
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Beginning in 1906, ballooning became a regular occurrence in the Berkshires, specifically North Adams and Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The first ever point-to-point hot air balloon race in the United States took place in 1908. The North Adams Great Balloon Race took place on August 14, 1908, where the balloon pilots raced for a trophy. Each pilot was required to name a town within a thirty miles radius from North Adams. The winner of the cup would have to land within a ten-mile radius of the post office in the town that they selected. The infamous balloon ‘North Adams No. 1’ and its pilots Arthur Potter and A. Holland Forbes were the winners of the race. Potter and Forbes landed the balloon five miles from their anticipated destination in Williamsburg, MA.
North Adams remained a ballooning center in the early 1900s. The big balloon were filled with gas that was manufactured by the North Adams Gas Company located on Brown Street. Coal was used to make illuminating gas for the balloon ascensions. The coal would contain a mix of methane, hydrogen, and ethylene. The city of North Adams Fairground, which was once a place for agricultural fairs, served as a place where the balloons would ascend.
The first night flight in the Berkshires happened on April 10, 1908. The balloon took off at 3:01AM and arrived at its destination at 6:50AM. This fascinating event drew a crowd of over 300 people who had been waiting since midnight to witness the ascension. As the Arnold Print Works clock was striking the hour, the balloon took off straight in the air as the words “hands up” were shouted. The balloon ascended until the crowd could no longer see it in the sky. The only way to spot the balloon was to look for the flashlights that were carried by the aeronauts. The flight was said to be so smooth that even a lady could have taken it.
There was a gradual decline in ballooning in North Adams. The sport began to lose its popularity and lost most of its history at the fairgrounds in the 1927 flood. Although the sport fell out of fashion, North Adams’ ballooning not only entertained many people from all over, but also helped advance the practice of aeronautics in the United States. North Adams’ part in the adventurous ballooning is part of the rich history of early American aviation.
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Beginning of a balloon race.
Balloon races were a common occurrence in North Adams in the early twentieth century. | Source: Courtesy of the North Adams Historical Society.
The silhouette of a crew member is seen through the silk fabric of a hot air balloon.
The 1983 Balloon fest was held in Charlemont, a celebration that was tied closely to North Adams’ ballooning heritage. Events like these kept the region's legacy as a historic point for early aviation adventures. | Source: Courtesy of the North Adams Historical Society.
The Aero Club used to take off at the former Gale Shoe Co. off Brown Street.
When ballooning first began in North Adams, the hot air balloons could stay afloat for shorter periods than their gas counterparts. The balloonists that ascended from the fairgrounds would rise high in the sky and parachute to the ground. After the death of one pilot, this event came to a stop in 1920. | Source: Courtesy of the North Adams Historical Society.
North Adams No. 1.
The ascending of balloon North Adams No. 1 marked a historic launch for the city’s proud role in American ballooning in one of New England’s most visually iconic aviation traditions. Ballooning was a daring sport that brought the community together. | Source: Courtesy of the North Adams Historical Society.
The Boston balloon.
The Boston balloon was owned by Charles J. Glidden. On June 19, 1908, it was flown in the Berkshires and was purchased that same month by the New England Aero Club. The balloon was bought for $750 and had a capacity of 35,000 cubic feet. | Source: Courtesy of the North Adams Historical Society.