National Air and Space Museum Archives

Lieutenant Harold G. Peterson Scrapbook

Summary

Collection ID:
NASM.1989.0127
Creators:
Peterson, Harold George
Dates:
1917-1942
bulk 1917-1920
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.5 Cubic feet
(1 flatbox)
Repository:
This collection is a 200 page scrapbook, filled with photographs, certificates, newspaper clippings, and ephermera relating to Harold George Peterson's aviation exploits.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This collection is a 200 page scrapbook, filled with about 800 photographs, plus certificates, newspaper clippings about his exploits, and other miscellaneous ephemera. The photographs include shots of Curtiss JN-4s on the ground, and air-to-air shots in formation, as well as other WWI era airplanes, both American and European, including a shot of the Albatross DVa 'Stropp.' Other photographs feature aerial shots of Paris, Mexico, and Hawaii, as well as a few engine photographs.

Arrangement

Arrangement
One item, no arrangement.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Harold George Peterson was a prominent aviator of his time. Peterson was a squadron officer for the 50th Observation Squadron at Ellington Field, Houston, Texas during World War I. He went on to start an aviation field and pilot school, 'The Harold G. Peterson Aircraft Company,' located at White Bear, MN. He is most famous, however, for being forced to land at Folimir, Mexico on August 10, 1917. There, Lt. Peterson and his passenger, Paul Davis, were captured by a band of roving bandits and held for a {dollar}15,000 ransom, which was to be paid by the U.S. Government. Peterson escaped across the boarder after a ransom of only 7,500 was paid.

Administration

Immediate Source of Acquisition
Charles Apfelbaum, Purchase, 1989, NASM.1989.0127
Processing Information
Arranged, described, and encoded by Patti Williams, 2020.

Digital Content


Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Use
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Preferred Citation
Lieutenant Harold G. Peterson Scrapbook, NASM.1989.0127, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

More Information

General

General
NASMrev


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Aeronautics, Military Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Air pilots Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
World War, 1914-1918 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Curtiss JN-4 Jenny Family Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Albatros D.Va (L24) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scrapbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clippings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ephemera Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Certificates Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Davis, Paul Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Harold G. Peterson Aircraft Company Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ellington Field, Texas Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Army. Air Service. 50th Observation Squadron Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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