PIONEERS
H I S T O R Y
By Paula C. Collins
ISIONARY, INVENTOR, eccentric,
teller of tall tales–Lyman Gilmore,
Jr., was these and more. As a
youth, he studied eagles and built gliders;
as a young man he claimed to have flown a
powered aircraft some 19 months before
the Wright brothers. No real proof of this
early flight exists, but there is no question
Gilmore devoted his life to aeronautical
experimentation.
Born in Washington state in 1876,
Gilmore came to Grass Valley in 1907 to
pursue his aviation interests and build an
air field. He came because the city had
foundries, machine shops and promised
financial support. He considered several
areas for his field and tested several sites
finally choosing a spot just northwest of
downtown on West Main Street. A school
named for him now stands on the site.
Gilmore’s field had hangers and was
home to his experimental aircraft, notably a
small monoplane built in the early 1900s
and a larger monoplane with an eight-passenger enclosed cabin–designed much like
passenger planes that would be seen 25
years later. Considered practical, the larger
plane was not flyable only because no
motor was large enough to power it.
Unfortunately, some of Gilmore’s dreams
went up in smoke in 1935 when the hanger housing his monoplanes, among others,
burned to the ground. And alas, the plans
for his commercial air field never matched
his vision. Gilmore had no business sense
and was unable to promote his ideas. He
was also secretive and was afraid people
would steal his inventions. He applied for
patents, but deliberately left out critical
aspects and was awarded very few.
Despite his strange ways, today Gilmore’s
vision is unquestioned. The monoplane,
retractable landing gear, an enclosed passenger cabin, the need for stability rather
than power–all were Gilmore concepts that
became part of the development of modern aviation. As early as 1896, he envisioned “flying autos,” planes with folding
wings that could be parked by an individual’s home.
Gilmore has his place in the history of
aviation, as does Grass Valley, for his field
was the first commercial air field in the
United States.
Lyman Gilmore, Jr.
(right) and his
brother Charles.
ALL PHOTOS SEARLS HISTORICAL LIBRARY
One of several aircraft built by Gilmore
shown at his airfield in Grass Valley.
N E VA D A C O U N T Y G O L D . c o m
127