The Hinds
Victorian
Guest House

Santa Cruz,
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The Evergreen glider

John J. Montgomery: Santa Cruz County's Early Flight Pioneer

About 8 miles east of Santa Cruz the town of Aptos figures prominently in man's goal to create a machine that would fly. As early as 1883 John Montgomery seceded in a controlled glide of his aircraft just outside of San Diego, California. These flights of 600 feet are recognized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers as the first manned, controlled flight of a heavier-than-air machine in history.   He excelled where others failed because of his scientific approach to the mechanics of flight and his skills as a carpenter and inventor.

In 1886 Montgomery tested unmanned gliders at the Leonard Ranch in present day Aptos. The Leonard Ranch was located between today's Seascape Resort and Manresa Beach. The train trestle still in use at Manresa Beach was the launch spot for some of Montgomery's scale models.

In 1901 Mongomery received a Ph.D. in physics from Santa Clara College and in 1903 he built a full scale twin wing aircraft for testing at the Aptos ranch. In 1904 the first manned flight experiments took place at the same time the Wright Brothers were experimenting at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

In the winter of 1904-1905 Montgomery gained financial assistance from the Leonard family and Fred Swanton, a Santa Cruz businessman, who suggested the novel ideal of raising the craft to a great height by use of a hot air balloon. At the Aptos ranch  a hot-smoke filled balloon lifted a hired pilot named Maloney on the glider to heights of 800 to 3000 feet. In the Spring of 1905, Professor Montgomery and aeronaut pilot Daniel Maloney repeated a series of high altitude gliding flights launched from the balloon in Aptos with the tandem wing flying machine.

Following many practice flights Montgomery's "Santa Clara" twin wing glider was ready for a public demonstration. On April 29,1905 before 1,500 people, Maloney ascended to an altitude of 3,900 ft. suspended from a balloon. After cutting the suspension rope he descended safely to the ground and landed lightly on his feet at a pre-designated spot, much to the amazement and delight of the crowd. The correspondent to the Scientific American wrote in the May 20, 1905 issue: "An aeroplane has been constructed that in all circumstances will retain its equilibrium and is subject in its gliding flight to the control and guidance of an operator."

John Montgomery even influenced the language of the day, since he was the first to refer to the entire craft as an “aeroplane”.  Previous to this, a few experimenters had used the term aeroplane to refer solely and exclusively a wing of a craft.  The flights of March and April were described in publications around America as well as France, Germany and Great Britain.

The next major demonstration was scheduled for May 21,1905 at the Alameda Race Track in San Jose, California. To raise funds for further aeronautical research and experimentation, admission to the event was charged. As before, Maloney began his ascent in the Santa Clara by balloon, but on this occasion the suspension rope snapped at an altitude of 150-200 ft. He managed to reach the ground safely, but the spectators, expecting more, were disappointed and booed Montgomery and Maloney. A second attempt was made with a back up glider, similar to the Santa Clara, called the California. Once aloft, problems arose with the balloon and the glider and, in the interest of safety, Maloney simply descended with balloon and glider still connected, landing 31 miles away.

On July 18, 1905, Montgomery and Maloney were back at Santa Clara College for another attempt to fly the Santa Clara. Again a problem occurred during the launching of the hot air balloon but this time Maloney was not so fortunate. As the balloon was released, one of its handling lines, unnoticed by Maloney, was caught up in the structure of the Santa Clara above the wings. After cutting the suspension rope as normal, the errant handling line damaged the glider. Maloney struggled unsuccessfully to gain control of the crippled craft and even though it descended no faster than a parachute, he never fully regained full control and crashed to his death.

In 1910, John Montgomery entered into an agreement with Victor Lougheed (later Lockheed) to build a powered aircraft. Montgomery was to provide the airframe and Loughead the engine.  In the same year, Victor Lougheed, Horace B. Wild, and James E. Plew constructed and flew a powered Montgomery type tandem wing flyer.

He resumed his efforts in 1911 with a new motorless flying machine called the Evergreen. Moving away from his basic tandem winged design of the pre 1906 period, the Evergreen (photo at the top of this column) was a high-wing monoplane glider. Montgomery flew the Evergreen himself and alternated flights with Joseph Vierra. Between October 17 - 31, 1911, in the Evergreen Valley, south of San Jose, he made more than 50 glides with his new aircraft, each approximately 785 ft. On October 31, 1911 Montgomery hit his head on an exposed bolt during a landing and died from his injury two hours later. 

The remains of Montgomery's gliders reside at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. Three replicas of Montgomery's gliders reside at the Hillier Air Museum at the San Carlos Airport in California. On the east side of Evergreen College in San Jose is John J. Montgomery park where the Evergreen glider flew over 50 flights. This park is the location of Montgomery's fatal crash in 1911.

 

The Hinds House is a guest house in a historic treasure. Built in 1888, this Santa Cruz extended stay lodging alternative serves guests staying two weeks or longer. We are often called the grandest Santa Cruz bed and breakfast inn. Our Victorian mansion is furnished like a B & B, but we don't serve breakfast and all guests have full use of the large kitchen and dining room. Of all the accommodations in Santa Cruz, ours is the closest to downtown and the only lodging specializing in weekly lodging. Just like other Santa Cruz bed and breakfast inns, you get to experience the beauty and elegance of another age. Unlike other lodging choices, our rates are based on weekly occupancy and are therefore very affordable. When you come to Santa Cruz, make the Hinds House your home away from home. The Hinds House, a Santa Cruz California bed and breakfast style inn.

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Montgomery and Maloney with Santa Clara Glider 

John J. Montgomery (middle right) and daredevil pilot Maloney (far right) with the Santa Clara machine.

 

Balloon lift of Santa Clara glider, 1905

Maloney and the Santa Clara with hot smoke balloon on ill-fated flight on May 21, 1905.

 

Ballon and glider at Santa Clara College, 1905

The Santa Clara craft with half-filled balloon on April 29, 1905 at Santa Clara College.

 

Glider being lifted by hot smoke balloon, 1905

The Santa Clara being hoisted by the hot smoke balloon before 1,500 onlookers.

 

Santa Clara replica in 2005

The Santa Clara glider replica in Aptos on March 19, 2005 at the 100 year anniversary ceremonies on the old Leonard ranch.