Old Orchard Beach Historical Society & Harmon Museum
Captain Harry M. Jones Aviation Collection
Creator/Compiler: Harry Martin Jones [b. 1980 d. 1973]
Repository: Old Orchard Beach Historical Society/Harmon Museum
Inclusive Dates : [n.d.], 1916-1979, 1991, 2006
Collection size: 1 cubic foot / 1 linear foot
Collection No: ASC 5
Restrictions: None.This collection is open for research upon request.
Scope and Content Notes: This collection focuses on the flying career of Captain Harry M. Jones, with particular interest on his days as pilot/owner of the Hazzard Shoe Flying Corporation in Old Orchard Beach during the 1920's and 1930's. The collection consists of photographs, postcards, aviation celebration memorabilia, ephemera, correspondence, documents, publications and a vintage audio and video recording. Items of particular interest includes a letter from Rudy Vallee, a reel-to-reel audio tape dated June 13, 1964 from"Rhode Island Aviation Days," and a 16 mm[?] Pathe Film celebrating "Grandma Emmett's 100th Birthday by Flying into Portland, Maine with Harry M. Jones as the Pilot," ca. 1927.
Provenance : This collection is comprised of items accessioned from several donors. It is expected that the collection will grow over time as more items are donated to the Historical Society.
Biographical Notes: Harry M. Jones was born in Providence, R. I. on March 7, 1890. An avid adventurer, Harry began racing motorcycles. His love of flying began with an aeroplane ride with Phil Page and Cliff Webster at the Burgess Co., in Marblehead, Ma. In May 1912, he signed up for a flying course at General Aviation Co. School in Saugus, Ma., and after a few rides, instructor Jack Freeman, began teaching him to fly. He became the first aviator in Rhodes Island at the age of 22 in 1913.
Captain Jones became famous in the New England region for being the first and only pilot to land an airplane on Boston Common, and later for being the first pilot hired as a Special Air Parcel Post Carrier, flying from Boston to New York with several stops along the way. His first postal flight took 56 days to complete due to bad weather and a couple of crash landings, which required repairs to his plane.
Captain Jones opened a fling school in Saugus, MA and began flying passengers over Boston. He soon became known as "The New England Aviator."
During World War I, Captain Jones served in the army as a flight instructor for the U. S. Army Air Force until 1919. After the War, he was commissioned as a captain in the U. S. Army Reserves. Later that year he established an airport on the beach in Old Orchard Beach, ME., which became a popular stopping-off point for trans-Atlantic flights. Captain Jones owned and operated his own flying school, and a very popular passenger carrier business, Hazzard Shoe Flying Co., on Old Orchard Beach until 1933.
Harry Jones became the first Commissioner of Aviation in Maine, and built 18 airports in the state. Jones left town in 1933.
He became the airport supervisor for the State of Maine in 1933, and was instrumental in the development of many airports throughout the state. Captain Jones later worked for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Corp, Brewster Aircraft, and Wright Aeronautical Corp. In 1943, he became an official at the Civil Aeronautics Association. Captain Jones was a pioneer in aviation making history in and around New England. Capt. Harry M. Jones died at the age of 83 on April 18, 1973 at the home of his son Harry M., Jr. in Tulsa, OK.
Historical Notes—Hazard Shoe Company Inc. Hangar: The Hazzard Shoe Company was founded by Robert P. Hazzard about 1906. The company bought out Emerson Shoe Company in 1931. The company went out of business about 1973. The Old Orchard Beach airfield was a strip of beach, in Saco Bay, along the coast of Old Orchard Beach, Maine that had a useable runway at low tide and was officially established on August 11, 1921. The Hazzard Shoe Company built a hangar at the OOB runway for Harry Jones to help promote their business. The Hazzard Shoe Flying Corporation was taken over by the Jones Flying Corporation up until 1933.
Organization of Series:
Title of Collection: Capt Harry M. Jones Collectio
Series 1. Photographs
Series 2. Postcards
Series 3. Celebrations
Subseries 3A. Rhode Island Aviation Day, June 13, 1964
Subseries 3B. Runway to Glory, August 29, 1971
Subseries 3C. Commemorate Transatlantic Flight, July 24, 1974
Series 4. Ephemera
Series 5. Correspondence
Series 6. Documents
Series 7. Publications
Series 8. Film
Creator/Compiler: Harry Martin Jones [b. 1980 d. 1973]
Repository: Old Orchard Beach Historical Society/Harmon Museum
Inclusive Dates : [n.d.], 1916-1979, 1991, 2006
Collection size: 1 cubic foot / 1 linear foot
Collection No: ASC 5
Restrictions: None.This collection is open for research upon request.
Scope and Content Notes: This collection focuses on the flying career of Captain Harry M. Jones, with particular interest on his days as pilot/owner of the Hazzard Shoe Flying Corporation in Old Orchard Beach during the 1920's and 1930's. The collection consists of photographs, postcards, aviation celebration memorabilia, ephemera, correspondence, documents, publications and a vintage audio and video recording. Items of particular interest includes a letter from Rudy Vallee, a reel-to-reel audio tape dated June 13, 1964 from"Rhode Island Aviation Days," and a 16 mm[?] Pathe Film celebrating "Grandma Emmett's 100th Birthday by Flying into Portland, Maine with Harry M. Jones as the Pilot," ca. 1927.
Provenance : This collection is comprised of items accessioned from several donors. It is expected that the collection will grow over time as more items are donated to the Historical Society.
Biographical Notes: Harry M. Jones was born in Providence, R. I. on March 7, 1890. An avid adventurer, Harry began racing motorcycles. His love of flying began with an aeroplane ride with Phil Page and Cliff Webster at the Burgess Co., in Marblehead, Ma. In May 1912, he signed up for a flying course at General Aviation Co. School in Saugus, Ma., and after a few rides, instructor Jack Freeman, began teaching him to fly. He became the first aviator in Rhodes Island at the age of 22 in 1913.
Captain Jones became famous in the New England region for being the first and only pilot to land an airplane on Boston Common, and later for being the first pilot hired as a Special Air Parcel Post Carrier, flying from Boston to New York with several stops along the way. His first postal flight took 56 days to complete due to bad weather and a couple of crash landings, which required repairs to his plane.
Captain Jones opened a fling school in Saugus, MA and began flying passengers over Boston. He soon became known as "The New England Aviator."
During World War I, Captain Jones served in the army as a flight instructor for the U. S. Army Air Force until 1919. After the War, he was commissioned as a captain in the U. S. Army Reserves. Later that year he established an airport on the beach in Old Orchard Beach, ME., which became a popular stopping-off point for trans-Atlantic flights. Captain Jones owned and operated his own flying school, and a very popular passenger carrier business, Hazzard Shoe Flying Co., on Old Orchard Beach until 1933.
Harry Jones became the first Commissioner of Aviation in Maine, and built 18 airports in the state. Jones left town in 1933.
He became the airport supervisor for the State of Maine in 1933, and was instrumental in the development of many airports throughout the state. Captain Jones later worked for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Corp, Brewster Aircraft, and Wright Aeronautical Corp. In 1943, he became an official at the Civil Aeronautics Association. Captain Jones was a pioneer in aviation making history in and around New England. Capt. Harry M. Jones died at the age of 83 on April 18, 1973 at the home of his son Harry M., Jr. in Tulsa, OK.
Historical Notes—Hazard Shoe Company Inc. Hangar: The Hazzard Shoe Company was founded by Robert P. Hazzard about 1906. The company bought out Emerson Shoe Company in 1931. The company went out of business about 1973. The Old Orchard Beach airfield was a strip of beach, in Saco Bay, along the coast of Old Orchard Beach, Maine that had a useable runway at low tide and was officially established on August 11, 1921. The Hazzard Shoe Company built a hangar at the OOB runway for Harry Jones to help promote their business. The Hazzard Shoe Flying Corporation was taken over by the Jones Flying Corporation up until 1933.
Organization of Series:
Title of Collection: Capt Harry M. Jones Collectio
Series 1. Photographs
Series 2. Postcards
Series 3. Celebrations
Subseries 3A. Rhode Island Aviation Day, June 13, 1964
Subseries 3B. Runway to Glory, August 29, 1971
Subseries 3C. Commemorate Transatlantic Flight, July 24, 1974
Series 4. Ephemera
Series 5. Correspondence
Series 6. Documents
Series 7. Publications
Series 8. Film