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First Balloon Flight in Virginia

First Balloon Flight in Virginia is a Virginia historical marker in on College of William and Mary campus, Williamsburg County, dedicated 1993.

Williamsburg County · dedicated 1993 · Intersection of Richmond Road and Stadium Drive, on College of William and Mary campus

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On May 7, 1801, J. S. Watson, a student at William and Mary, wrote a letter detailing attempts at flying hot air balloons on the Court House Green. The third balloon, decorated with sixteen stars, one for each of the existing states, and fueled with spirits of wine, was successful. Watson wrote, "I never saw so great and so universal delight as it gave to the spectators." This is the earliest recorded evidence of aeronautics in the commonwealth.

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