FLIGHTS BEFORE THE WRIGHTS:

1. Exhibition

In 1896 a historic glider flight took place in the Indiana Dunes signaling the dawn of aviation. At the helm was Octave Chanute, a Paris born American Civil Engineer with a passion for flight.

An exhibition running until June 1, 2002 in John Crerar Library at the University of Chicago Library celebrates Chanute's accomplishments by presenting highlights from the visionary's career. Many of Chanute’s personal books and writings will be on display, as well a model of the 1896 glider which first took flight in the sand dunes. In addition, the exhibit provides a glimpse into the future of aviation and space technology with information provided by NASA.

The exhibition emphasizes Chanute's (and Chicago’s) impressive role in early aviation history. He not only experimented with flight, but extended outstanding support to many early aviation pioneers, including the Wright brothers. He also was responsible for organizing the International Aeronautics Congress in August 1893 as part of the World’s Colombian Fair in Chicago, the first ever such meeting in the United States.

Chanute left his imprint on his adopted city of Chicago in still other ways. He designed and supervised the building of the Chicago Union Stock Yards in 1865. Years later, in 1886, he and Joseph Card formed the Chicago Tie Treatment plant. To verify the life span of the railroad ties treated in his plant, Chanute brought date nails from Europe and introduced this kind of record keeping in the United States. Some of these nails are also on display.

For the John Crerar Library and the University of Chicago Octave Chanute is an important benefactor. He arranged for the Western Society of Engineers to donate all their books to Crerar, starting in 1890s, and much of this private library was donated to the Crerar Library in the beginning of the 20^th century. It is available for today’s scholars in their research.