Harriet Quimby in the cockpit of a monoplane. Photo: Library of Congress.
Editor’s note: This story was published in August 2020 is updated from the original.
By P.G. Misty Sheehan
Harriet Quimby, who spent her childhood in what is now known as Arcadia Township, was the first woman to fly across the English Channel on April 16, 1912, less than eight years after the Wright brothers‘ historic flight brought flying to the world. On July 17, 2004, she posthumously received her place in the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
Harriet’s father, William Quimby, a Civil War veteran, was granted 160 acres in Arcadia Township, which he proceeded to clear and farm. Her mother, Ursula Quimby, prepared and sold patent medicines and was known for her “Quimby’s Liver Invigorator.” On May 11, 1875, Harriet joined the family. Though there is some confusion surrounding her birthplace, various records indicate the family was living in the area around the time she was born.
Harriet Quimby’s city life
The Quimbys moved from Erdman Road and eventually to California when Harriet was a teenager. As an adult, she went from being a journalist for the San Francisco Chronicle to writing for Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly in New York City. She was not an overt feminist but supported women’s rights as editor of the women’s page at Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly. In her articles, she gave advice to women on finances, men and auto repair. She also remembered her Michigan farm heritage when she wrote, “To Americans living in large cities, the danger of over artificiality, of utter divorcement from nature, is very great and it is wonderful how a few plants … will take one back to the days when life was very sweet.”
Already known in San Francisco and New York City as a journalist, she was a drama critic and screenwriter with several silent films to her credit. She was also recognized for her growing interest in new vehicles and speed. In 1906 she was the first woman to drive 100 mph. But this was only one of her firsts.
Quimby, queen of aviation
Thrilled by an article on flying, Quimby enrolled in flight school in 1911. She told everyone, “I’m going for everything that men have done: altitude, speed, endurance and the rest.” After four months of hard work and only 33 lessons, she became the first U.S. woman to receive a pilot’s license from the Aero Club of America, the U.S. branch of the Federation Aeronautique.
She was a regular on the circuit of exhibition pilots who performed and raced each other throughout the U.S. In a September1911, air meet, she won $1,500 – an extraordinary amount of money at the time.
She performed at the inauguration of Mexico’s president and reportedly was everyone’s favorite.
She was also the first woman to fly at night.
Quimby dressed like a lady. The Arcadia Historical Museum has a version of the one-piece, plum-colored, satin suit she wore while flying. She also dressed in high heels and a stylish hat when she flew. One person claimed she was “the prettiest girl I have ever seen. She had the most beautiful eyes.” She liked being appreciated, especially for her flying. She had a fan club who followed the “bird girl.”
Everything was not all blue sky and prizes. On one flight the engine quit. Cool and collected, she just glided in. She took care by checking out everything on her plane before she flew. She explained: “Only a cautious person, man or woman, should mount my machine until every wire and screw has been tested.”
Quimby attempts the channel crossing
On April 16, 1912, she approached the English Channel, starting her historic flight from the British side. It was a beautiful day – blue sky. A crowd gathered to see if she would complete the 22-mile flight across the English Channel. British pilot Gustov Hamel was there with her. She complained, “I was annoyed from the start by the attitude of doubt on the part of the spectators that I would never make the flight.”
Hamel made an outrageous offer to switch clothes with her, then fly the plane across the channel for her. His plan had her somehow popping out of the plane in France and taking credit for the flight. Obviously, she refused.
At 5:30 a.m. she lifted off and flew at 6,000 feet. The blue skies disappeared as she approached France. She had been given a compass by an admirer and used that to navigate when clouds obscured her view. She said the mist felt like tiny needles on her skin. She broke free of the cloud bank and was pleased to see a white beach and green fields. She landed one hour and nine minutes later and was surrounded by French farmers and their families who had gathered to watch her flight attempt.
Despite her achievement, fame did not come to her. Two days before, the Titanic had gone down in the freezing waters of the North Atlantic. As a result, this feat of hers, to be the first woman to cross the English Channel, was barely reported.
She bought another plane in Europe to fly in the Boston Air Meet on July 1, 1912. She took one of the organizers up for a ride, but the aircraft bucked terribly and both were thrown from the plane. (It is thought the airplane was poorly designed.) She was 37 and had flown for less than a year when she died. However, her skill, success and attitude that “Flying is a fine, dignified sport for women, it is healthy and stimulating” was a precursor, perhaps even a call, to Amelia Earhart, Anne Morrow Lindbergh and Jacqueline “Jackie” Cochran to fly in her stead.
Quimby is immortalized by PBS and NOVA television specials, a 2022 biography (“Fearless”) by award-winning journalist Don Dahler, a 2016 biography (“Harriet Quimby: Flying Fair Lady”) and by fifth- and sixth graders at Onekama Consolidated Schools. The students created computer reports and wrote biographies of her, the latter appearing online. The schools’ website indicates that third-grade students made posters, and a handful of students created a Harriet Quimby timeline.
A second-floor exhibit about the pioneer female aviator can be found inside the Arcadia Historical Museum, 3340 Lake Street. For more information, visit the Cradle of Aviation Museum’s website as well as www.arcadiami.com and www.onekama.k12.mi.us/quimby.
