The Case:
A collector may have purchased a fragment of American aviation history. At first glance, it's a simple piece of frayed material in a frame.
But on the back of the frame are the words, "A piece of Prof. Lowe's Aeronautical balloon 'Enterprise'... after it was destroyed upon landing ... in 1862."
Could this be an artifact from the country's first military airship?
History Detectives heads to Washington, D.C. and Troy, New York to learn more about the ambitious and fascinating professor who launched the country's first aeronautic division by inflating his hot air balloon, The Enterprise, on the lawn of President Lincoln's White House.
Related Content
Technique:
Feature:
Feature:
Related Links
Explore
-
Related Investigation
General Lee's Farewell Address
Could this be a signed copy of one of the most famous documents in the history of the Civil War?
-
Also with Wes Cowan
Doc Holliday's Watch
Was this watch a gift from the fearless frontier lawman Wyatt Earp to the gambler Doc Holliday?
-
Also with Wes Cowan
Who Killed Jimmy Hoffa?
Teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa disappeared without a trace in 1975. Was he murdered? If so, who killed him and why?
-
Related Investigation
Civil War Sabotage?
The steamship Sultana exploded one night in 1865, killing more than 1,800 people. Was the disaster a result of Civil War sabotage?
-
Also in Season 5
Continental Currency
Could this $6 bill represent America’s first declaration of its independence?
-
Also in Season 5
Muhlenberg Robe
Was this robe torn off during a fiery sermon to rally congregants to the cause of the Revolutionary War?
Comments
This is a place for opinions, comments, questions and discussion; a place where viewers of History Detectives can express their points of view and connect with others who value history. We ask that posters be polite and respectful of all opinions. History Detectives reserves the right to delete comments that don’t conform to this conduct. We will not respond to every post, but will do our best to answer specific questions, or address an error.