Augustus Post

Colonel
Augustus Post
Born
Augustus Thomas Post Jr.

December 8, 1873
Brooklyn, New York, US
DiedOctober 4, 1952
New York City, US
EducationAmherst College
Harvard Law School
Alma materAmherst College
Occupation(s)Aviator, balloonist, automotive pioneer, actor, author, musician, lecturer
Known forFounder of the American Automobile Association
Founder of Aero Club of America
Champion Balloonist
Signature

Augustus Thomas Post Jr. (8 December 1873 – 4 October 1952) was an American adventurer who distinguished himself as an automotive pioneer, balloonist, early aviator, writer, actor, musician and lecturer. Post pursued an interest in transportation of every form. In 1898, when Post was 25, following his time at Harvard Law School, he circumnavigated the globe[1] by rail and steamship. He then bought one of the earlier made automobiles, crafted by Charles Duryea,[2] and helped found the Glidden Auto Tours,[3][4] an automotive distance drive and competition used to promote a national highway system. He was the original founder, in 1902, of what is now the American Automobile Association (AAA),[5] first known as the Auto Club of America.[5] He established the nation's first parking garage,[5] the first bus service,[6] and also received the first driving ticket in New York.[7][8][9]

In 1907, Post was one of the first civilians to descend in a submarine.[10] Two years later he became the thirteenth man to fly solo in an airplane.[5] As founder of the Aero Club of America[5][11] he served as official timer for Orville Wright's historic 57-minute flight at Fort Myer, Virginia in 1908.[12] Early that same year and in winter's cold at Hammondsport, New York, Post worked with Alexander Graham Bell's Aerial Experiment Association[13] where he represented the Aero Club and helped test new equipment and gliders.[14] Post then worked with fellow AEA alumn Glenn Curtiss and was present for the historic flight of the Curtiss June Bug. He also participated in the international Gordon Bennett Balloon Races from 1906 to 1910. In 1910 he set a distance and duration record in a free balloon, flying as aide to Alan R. Hawley in the balloon "America II", a North American record that stood for 95 years.[15]

In 1919, five years after having predicted the possibility of transatlantic travel, Post inspired hotel owner Raymond Orteig to put up the $25,000 prize money for the transatlantic flight competition that was ultimately won by Charles Lindbergh in 1927.[5] Post also made meaningful contributions to the establishment of the US air mail service, and to the creation of one of the first major academic programs in Aeronautical Engineering, which was at New York University.[16]

Outside of his work in transportation, Post was an avid outdoorsman. He was an original member of the Society of the Sons of Daniel Boone[17] which merged to form the Boy Scouts of America in 1910. In addition to his other pursuits, Post performed on Broadway, acted in plays, and wrote books of poetry, an opera, and original songs.[18] In his later life Post worked as part of the National Association for Music in Hospitals, performed with the New York Symphony Chorus, and continued to support the causes and groups he had helped establish. He was a sought-after professional lecturer until his death in 1952 at age 78.[5]

  1. ^ "New York Day by Day". San Bernardino County Sun. March 19, 1940. p. 20. Archived from the original on 2017-08-06. Retrieved July 21, 2014 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  2. ^ "Round the Square: Death of Augustus Post". Bradford Era. October 8, 1952. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2017-08-06. Retrieved July 21, 2014 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  3. ^ "Auto Cup Race for America". The Inter Ocean. February 10, 1904. p. 5. Archived from the original on 2017-08-06. Retrieved June 14, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  4. ^ "St. Louis Tour". The Boston Post. April 17, 1904. p. 11. Archived from the original on 2017-08-06. Retrieved June 14, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "Colonel Post Dies, Auto, Air Pioneer". The New York Times. October 5, 1952. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :38 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Banker Arrested in Auto". The New York Times. March 5, 1905. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference :39 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :40 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Women in Submarine". The Boston Daily Globe. March 21, 1907.
  11. ^ Post, Augustus (1921). Aviation and Aircraft Journal. Gardner, Moffat Company.
  12. ^ "Wright's Aeroplane, In the Air 57 Minutes, Makes World Record". The Washington Times. September 9, 1908.
  13. ^ "[Members of the Aerial Experiment Association] - City of Vancouver Archives". searcharchives.vancouver.ca. Archived from the original on 2017-10-30. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  14. ^ "US Hawks Hang Gliding Association • View topic - Curtiss photo study". www.ushawks.org. Archived from the original on 2017-10-30. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  15. ^ Carrera, Faustine. "Results". www.fai.org. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference :37 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Annual Report. Boy Scouts of America. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1922.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  18. ^ "Omar, the Tentmaker – Broadway Play – Original". www.ibdb.com. The Broadway League. Retrieved 2017-06-15.