Fowler's landings, like this one in Texas in November 1912, stirred interest among locals wherever he went.
Aviation's golden age saw much excitement in the small towns of America. Barnstormers, daredevils and the wide open skies called to thrill seekers everywhere and many of these took to the air. It was into this age of exploration that Flomaton and Century found an early footnote in history.
According to an article in Biloxi's Coastal Breeze newspaper, a transcontinental flight, which had started in California, left Biloxi after refueling on January 10, 1912 about 1pm. R.G. Fowler was the pilot and after departing coastal Mississippi he headed towards Flomaton.
Fowler arrived in the Flomaton area on January 11, 1912 but in a manner in which he did not expect to reach our splendid area. "Fowler was scheduled to arrive in Brewton by 12:20 the same day but when he was just north of Flomaton his engine refused to work and he came to earth"-this according to Brewton's The Pine Belt News of January 11, 1912.
The daring young man in the flying machine circled Flomaton and Century and was off at a lively clip in a northeast course when the accident occurred.
The Pine Belt News noted, "Hundreds of people (in Brewton) had gathered on the streets and for several hours and scanned the southern horizon for the man-bird, when the message was received that told of his mishap." The paper went on to note that when the engine was repaired, Fowler would proceed to the designated landing spot near the home of G.K. Fountain on Douglas Avenue.
Fowler went on to become the first person to traverse the US from the West Coast to the East Coast. He left San Francisco, California on September 11, 1911 in an attempt to win the $50,000 Hearst Prize in a Wright biplane equipped with a Cole Motor Car Company engine. After his first day crash in San Diego County, California, his cross-country flight was completed February 8, 1912; just a few weeks after he was in the Flomaton/Century area. Fowler landed after the deadline to win the prize and therefore no one received the prize money, yet Fowler gained the bragging rights for having been the first to make the crossing.
Mrs. Annie Waters wrote an article, decades later, about the plane's commotion stirring visit to Brewton. Ms. Lydia Grimes mentioned this story in a 2013 edition of the Escambia County Historical Society's newsletter. Mrs. Waters article stated:
"Thursday January 11, 1912, was a cold day with overcast skies, but hundreds of Brewton area residents gathered at a corn field on present day Douglas Avenue, bounded by Granberry Street on the south and Lovelace Avenue on the east and Underwood Street on the north.
They were expectantly awaiting the arrival of the famous aviator, Robert C. Fowler, and his Wright biplane," stated the article.
Whereas the exact location of Fowler's unintended landing in Flomaton may never be known to us today, Mrs. Water's article states it was a serious matter which forced his landing. Fowler had left Mobile about 3:30pm and he arrived at Flomaton around 4:45pm where the accident slightly damaged the plane but did not hurt Fowler but would delay his arrival in Brewton until shortly after 3:00pm Sunday afternoon. One has to wonder how the pilot and crew spent their time in the Flomaton area. Where did they stay? The Jackson Hotel? At some local residence?
Yet the Brewton crowd was ultimately disappointed when Fowler circled the town several times at 3pm on that Sunday afternoon and then headed towards Evergreen where he was forced to land due to fuel shortages.
W.D. Sowell was quoted as saying, "The sight here (Brewton) was witnessed by hundreds of interested citizens from town and country. The scene was spectacular and thrilling. Many in the crowd had never seen an airship, and still more doubtless never dreamed that they would see a man traveling in the air, but if anyone had any doubts of the practicality of it they were certainly dispelled on this occasion. The machine glides through the air with the agility of the most graceful bird."
Special thanks to Mac Weaver of Biloxi, Mississippi for the information on Fowler's historic visit to Biloxi. Mac noted, "All my years in Flomaton, I never heard of this." My Driskell grandparents and Emmons ancestors would have been in Flomaton at the same time and I had never heard of the landing either.
Available now: The Butler Street Chronicles; Selected histories of the communities surrounding Butler Street and will include information on settlers at Steadham, Pond Fork, Sizemore, Sardine, Butler Street, Hollinger and other communities along this route. Pick up your copy for $15. Copies can be published from the author or at Amazon.com or Lulu.com.
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