On June 11, 1861, Thaddeus S.C. Lowe flew a gas balloon, the Enterprise, over the White House. Lowe wanted to demonstrate the potential of using balloons for reconnaissance missions. Lowe placed his gas generators on the Mall near the Smithsonian Institution and in proximity to the Washington Gas Works, launching the balloon from the present site of the National Air and Space Museum. Once aloft, he telegraphed President Abraham Lincoln, reporting a view of 50 miles. Awarded the position of Chief Aeronaut for the Army, Lowe's flight contributed to the birth of the Aeronautical Corps of the Union Army.
Thaddeus S.C. Lowe
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. View original photograph.