
The Early Birds Monument and Governors Island Aviation Pioneers
Governors Island played an important role in the history of aviation. Each week this month will be a historical look at one event in the island’s contribution to the history of manned flight.
The Early Birds Monument is the only tribute to the island’s part in the early days of aviation. It is located outside Liggett Hall (40.687967 N, -74.018033 E). The unique bronze monument is also the first public sculpture on Governors Island.
The monument was originally situated in front of Liggett Hall on what was named Early Birds Road. The monument faced what was the landing field for numerous early flights by the men (and two women) who were aviation pioneers. The field in front of the monument was the landing strip. There are two plaques with lists of names. The first are the Early Birds who were the Island’s first solo aviators:
Wilbur Wright
Glenn H. Curtiss
Charles K. Hamilton
Harry N. Atwood
Harry M. Jones
Harold Kantner
Steve Mac Gordon
Lincoln Beachey
Eugene Ely
Hugh A. Robinson
James J. Ward
Albert S. Heinrich
Victor Carlstrom
Raynal G. Bolling
Ruth Bancroft Law
This is a distinguished list of pioneers, many of whom died at the controls not long after they flew at the Fort Jay airfield:
Aviator Katherine Stinson’s name is not on the plaque, having missed the cut-off date by six months.
Prior to the United States’ entrance into World War I in 1917, Governors Island was home to an aviation-training center organized by civilians to promote military aviation. There is a section of the Early Birds Monument that reads: “From May 1916 to March 1917 members of the Governors Island Training Corps trained here.” Capt. Philip A. Carroll, was the commanding officer, and Filip A. Bjorklund was the civilian instructor. Some of these men went on to be members of America’s first airplane combat squadron. The list of pilots:
Hobart A.H. Baker
Frederick T. Blakeman
Albert B. Gaines, Jr.
Stedman S. Hanks
William A. Larned
Howard G. Larsley
Seth Low
Cord Meyer
James B. Miller
Edwin M. Post, Jr.
Charles Reed
Lawrence Sperry
J. Walter Struthers
Al Sturtevant
William Walton
Charles D. Wiman
The monument was unveiled in a fitting manner: a U.S. Army Bell-47 helicopter hovered and lifted a parachute off it during a grand ceremony. For sixty years it stood a few hundred yards in front of Liggett Hall, roughly where Hammock Grove is today.
The sculpture was relocated in 2014 when Liggett Terrace was constructed and Early Birds Road was bulldozed. Today the monument stands on the shady corner of King Avenue and Division Road, a short walk from where Wilbur Wright and Glenn Curtiss had their hangers in 1909.
Another aviation story will be posted next week. For more history stories, pick up The Governors Island Explorer’s Guide (Globe Pequot Press).

