Marquette Park in Miller was the site of a celebration honoring Octave Chanute and
his experiments in aeronautics of 100 years ago. Chanute-Aquatorium Society was joined by the National Landmark
of Soaring in sponsoring this event. A National Landmark of Soaring
plaque was dedicated at the Aquatorium, complimenting another such plaque dedicated
nearby 60 years ago, not 500 yards from the spot that Chanute and his intrepid band
of experimenters first began their 1896 experiments. Dr. Tom Crouch , of the Smithsonian
National Air and Space Museum, spoke to the assembled crowd about the experiments,
and then everyone trooped down the dunes to watch Paul Dees of Redmond, Washington
attempt a flight with the replica he built. There just wasn't enough breeze that
day, and neither his, nor the attempts of the engineering students of Rochester,
New York, who had brought their replica, were successful. It didn't matter. The
sight of those gliders, and the wonderful turnout, which included 3 generations
of Octave Chanute's descendants, made for a great day!