World’s Shortest Airline

World’s Shortest Airline is an Ohio historical marker in Ottawa County.

Ottawa County · Erie Ottawa Regional Airport, 3255 E State Rd, Port Clinton, OH, 43452 -- In a small open area just behind the first main building on the W side of the airport

Get directions ↗Start a road trip Historical trails

Side A: In 1936, Milton Hersberger, an early barnstormer and accomplished aviator, purchased the first Ford Tri-Motor to be used for air service to the nearby Lake Erie Islands. Affectionately known as the “Tin Goose,” the legendary all-metal Ford Tri-Motor was a true workhorse that played a vital role in hauling passengers, mail, and cargo to and from the islands. Pushing a top speed of 85 mph, the complete 17 mile roundtrip from Port Clinton consisted of 12 take-offs and landings and took less than 45 minutes. The airline earned its reputation as “The Shortest Airline in the World” averaging a trip of less than 10 minutes between each stop. Side B: Same

TodayHistorical map

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Example

under a mile from where William Gabby lived in the 1760s

what this marker records spans 1777 to 1789, overlapping William Gabby's years here

From one family's 77-marker roster

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Marker data: Ohio Historical Markers program, Ohio History Connection (Remarkable Ohio)

World’s Shortest Airline

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