First Forest Patrol Flight
Posted by: 
frankhj
N 46° 03.809 W 089° 38.777
16T E 295329 N 5104505
First Forest Patrol Flight Marker, Hwy M, in parking lot of campground on N end of Trout Lake.
Waymark Code: WM4DN4
Location: Wisconsin, United States
Date Posted: 08/09/2008
Views: 27
First Forest Patrol Flight was made from Trout Lake by Jack Vilas June 29, 1915. Vilas was commissioned "Official Aviator" by the Wisconsin State board of Forestry (now Wisconsin Conservation Department) and on his own request received no salary other than "many thanks". During July and August, 1915, patrol flights were made almost daily in a Curtiss Flying Boat. Vilas had shipped his plane from Chicago to Trout Lake by train. In those days the 350 mile flight from Chicago would have taken several days and a crew of special mechanics following in a train, to keep the "flying machine" going. The flights from here by Jack Vilas marked the first time anywhere that an aircraft was used in detecting and locating forest fires and patrolling large forest areas.
Erected 1955
County: Vilas
Location: Other
MarkerID: 34
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