Lyman Gilmore

Lore & Background

Lyman Gilmore reported in a 1936 interview that he made a successful tethered glider flight in 1893 and a free glider flight in 1894. He further claimed, though he did not report it until 1927, that he made a controlled steam-powered flight on May 15, 1902. However, all records and papers related to his aircraft were destroyed in a 1935 hangar fire. Photographs from 1898 show his machine on the ground, but none show it in the air, and the Smithsonian magazine concluded in 2012 that 'there is no evidence of a Gilmore machine in the air.'

Gilmore was in contact with other flight pioneers such as Samuel Langley and the Wright brothers. In 1902, he was granted two patents on steam engines, and he also invented a rotary snowplow. On March 15, 1907, he opened the first commercial airfield, Gilmore Airfield, in Grass Valley. A middle school now stands on the site, named in his honor.

In 1935, Gilmore's hangar and two aging monoplanes were destroyed by fire, canceling plans to exhibit the larger monoplane at the World Fair in Chicago. He later turned to gold mining and died a poor man in Nevada City, California. His grave is in Pine Grove Cemetery, about a half mile outside of town.

Reader's Guide

Lyman Gilmore's significance lies in his early and ambitious claim to have flown a steam-powered airplane before the Wright brothers, a claim that remains unsubstantiated. The lack of surviving evidence—due to the 1935 hangar fire—and the weight of his machine as seen in photographs make flight highly unlikely. Nonetheless, Gilmore contributed to aviation infrastructure by opening the first commercial airfield in 1907 and corresponded with major figures like Langley and the Wrights. His legacy is preserved locally through Lyman Gilmore Middle School, whose motto 'Flying into the Future' and student projects keep his story alive. The controversy over his claimed flight highlights the challenges of verifying early aviation history and the importance of documented evidence.

Did You Know?

• Gilmore claimed a controlled steam-powered flight on May 15, 1902, but did not report it until 1927.
• All records and papers related to his aircraft were destroyed in a 1935 hangar fire.
• He opened the first commercial airfield, Gilmore Airfield, in Grass Valley on March 15, 1907.
• A middle school named in his honor now stands on the site of the airfield.