Augustus Post
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Major Augustus Post |
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| Born |
Augustus Thomas Post Jr. December 8, 1873 Brooklyn, New York |
| Died | October 4, 1952 New York, New York |
| Education | Harvard Law School |
| Alma mater | Amherst College |
| Occupation | Aviator, balloonist, automotive pioneer, actor, author, musician, lecturer |
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Augustus Thomas Post Jr. (8 December 1873 – 4 October 1952) was an American adventurer who distinguished himself as an automotive pioneer, balloonist, early aviator, writer, actor, musician and lecturer.
Augustus Post pursued an interest in travel of every form. In 1898, when Post was 25, following his graduation from Harvard Law School, he circumnavigated the globe by rail and steamship. He then bought one of the first cars ever made and helped found the Glidden Auto Tours, an automotive distance drive and competition used to promote a national highway system. He was an original founder of what is now the American Automobile Association (AAA), first known as the Auto Club of America. He established the nation’s first parking garage and also received the first driving tickets in New York.
In 1907 he was one of the first civilians to descend in a submarine. Two years later he became the thirteenth man to fly solo in an airplane, and helped found the Aero Club of America. He was elected to be its first secretary, a position he held for more than 20 years. In that capacity he served as official timer for Orville Wright’s historic 57 minute flight at Fort Myer, Virginia in 1908. The following year Post worked with Alexander Graham Bell’s Aerial Experiment Association where he represented the Aero Club and primarily helped testing gliders.
Post then worked with fellow AEA alumn Glenn Curtiss, developing innovations and flight testing his planes. He was present for the historic flight of the Curtiss June Bug and co-authored The Curtiss Aviation Book in 1910.
Post's interest in aviation included balloons as well as aircraft. While working with Curtiss he also participated in the international Gordon Bennett Balloon Races from 1906-1910. In 1910 he set a distance and duration record in a free balloon, flying as aide to Allen Hawley in the balloon "America II," an American record that stood for 95 years.
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