ballooning

This is the John Wanamaker (now Macy's) store in Philadelphia. The statue of William Penn atop City Hall can be seen behind the balloon.

No, this is the John Wanamaker store at Broadway and Tenth Avenue in New York City. The balloon was launched from the rooftop here on July 8, 1911. It intended to go to Philadelphia, but got lost in fog, and ended up in West Nyack. The New York Times ran a story on July 9, 1911: query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9506E0D71431E233A... Another Bain/LOC photo of the Wanamaker balloon: And another: Balloonist Leo Stevens in the basket of the Wanamaker balloon:

Wystan: Thanks for pointing us to the story of the Wanamaker balloon. We'll add the location and date to the description next time we update the record.

The picture was taken at Broadway and Tenth Street in Manhattan and in the background is the tallest building in New York City at the time, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower, built in 1909. This gives us the direction that the photographer is pointing. He was looking Northeast up Broadway.

I would like to find info on the correct birthdate for Leo Stevens. Many sources give 1876-1877 but that can't be right. Would also like to verify the dates of his two marriages, the first to Julia (ca 1897), and the second to Laura (ca 1925). Thx. Allen allenametATaol.com

This is likely to be Professional balloon & airship pilot/stunt man Albert Leo "Prince Leo" Stevens. Look for his full list of accomplishments at www.ballooninghistory.com/whoswho/who'swho-s2.html

And this about Leo Stevens, balloonist here in the 1906 NYT: query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F0DE6D81F3DE633A... And here (1906): query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9A05E7D6103EE733A... See other L. Stevens image here: www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/2163757324/

We'll add Steven's complete name to the source catalog and reload the description. Thanks!

I started an entry in Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Leo_Stevens This is at Broadway and Tenth Street in Manhattan at Wanamaker's BALLOON SETS SAIL FOR PHILADELPHIA; Passes Above Times Square, Gets Lost in a Jersey Fog Bank, and Lands at West Nyack. July 9, 1911, Sunday A large balloon with two men in the basket arose from the roof of the Wanamaker store at Broadway and Tenth Street at 6 o'clock last night, sailed leisurely across the city, up Seventh Avenue to Times Square, and then floated off across the Hudson and was lost in the haze that hung over Weehawken.

Another Bain/LOC photo of Stevens in the basket of the Wanamaker balloon:

The John Wanamaker store in Philadelphia (now Macy's). Photo appears to have been taken looking Northeast towards the Delaware River.

Clearly not a hot-air balloon - hydrogen perhaps?

Looks like Wanamaker liked "firsts" www.wanamakerorgan.com/facts.html so one wonders what sort of "first" this might have been.

Wanamaker is properly spelled with only one "n." This is the roof of the Wanamaker store in New York City, where the balloon was tethered for several days while it was filled with hydrogen gas made on the spot by pouring sulphuric acid over iron filings. It was planned that the balloon would be launched and steered toward Philadelphia, but the pilot got lost in fog and landed in West Nyack instead. Here's the story from the New York Times, July 9, 1911: query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9506E0D71431E233A... Another Bain/LOC photo of the Wanamaker balloon: And another: Balloonist Leo Stevens in the basket of the Wanamaker balloon:

Wystan: Thanks for the additional information here. We'll correct the typo and add the location and date to the description next time we update the record.