The Glenn Curtiss Legacy

 A Look at  an Enormous Legacy

Glenn Hammond Curtiss accomplished so much and gave so much to the world that it would seem logical to just list his achievements.There are some who have tried, but the lists keep growing, and I am learning more all the time. His life was relatively short, and I grieve, thinking of what more he might have done. Even so, his inventions, innovations, and contributions to aviation and his communities seem unbelievable. How could one man do so much? It's really time for all of America to appreciate one of its greatest heroes.

The Curtiss Mansion in Miami Springs, Florida

When Glenn Curtiss more or less retired from aviation about 1920, he cashed in his aviation interests, and he and the family moved to the area of Miami, Florida. I say "and the family," because wherever Glenn and his wife Lena moved, a good deal of the extended family followed. In Miami Springs in 1925, he had a large mansion built for his nuclear family, Lena, himself. and Glenn, Jr.  Lena's mother lived with them. There was also a mansion built for Glenn's half brother, G. Carl Adams.

 But Glenn built two mansions for his mother, Lua, my first cousin three generations removed. Lua wasn't pleased with the first one.  I love the stories about Lua, because of her assertiveness. She was a modern woman. She wasn't about to settle for a mansion that was planned for her; she wanted one that fit "her life style" as an artist. The second one had north facing windows. There she, her sister Kate, and her daughter, Rutha, painted and taught art.

Glenn's generosities were like ripples reaching out through time to family members, as well as the communities he lived in, such as Hammondsport, NY; the San Diego, CA, area, Coronado, and North Island; and southern Florida. They enriched even us cousins, more distant, two generations removed.

He helped out his musical prodigy cousin, Joy (his only first cousin on my side), by paying for excellent violin lessons (so goes the family lore) and buying her violins. Not "Strads," but not just any violins, either. In San Diego, I am told, she became first violinist for the San Diego symphony orchestra. She also composed music.

Joy Babcock, Glenn Curtiss's first cousin. Her mother was Mae Andrews Babcock, Lua Andrews Curtiss's sister (Glenn's mother). She was a prodigy, and Glenn helped her with her musical education. 
 (copyright: Glenn Curtiss family and truthinaviationhistory)

Joy and her mother Mae painted, as well as Mae's two sisters Lua and Kate and Joy's first cousin, Glenn's sister, Rutha Luella. I still have some of the art supplies and books that helped me through school that had belonged to Joy and probably her mother, Curtiss's Aunt Mae Babcock.( Mae was a recipient of a trust fund when Glenn died). I have taught piano on Joy's old "second" piano that I own now. The first was, of course, a baby grand and went to our cousin, Lynn, who was one of her violin students. We cousins have some pretty wonderful LP record collections that belonged to Joy. They introduced me to the great violin concertos.

The Curtiss family mansion has been fairly recently renovated by a dedicated group of people around the Miami Springs, Florida, area and put to good use for the community of Miami Springs. I believe Curtiss would have been immensely pleased.

For a more general idea of Curtiss's generosity, see below a list that demonstrates some of his activities in the Miami area. This one was compiled for the Curtiss Mansion website and includes a number of the contributions he made to communities in south Florida, after he relocated there until his premature death at age 52  Glenn Curtiss did not squander his fortune, as he has been wrongfully accused.

Glenn Hammond Curtiss

Founded Florida cities of Opa-locka, Hialeah and Miami Springs

Established 12,000-acre Curtiss Bright Ranch with partner, James Bright, and introduced cattle breeds and grasses adaptable to Florida climate

Invented the airboat for better transportation for Seminole (Indian) friends

Platted 52 subdivisions in Dade County

Established Miami's 1st aviation school that led to Miami's 1st airport at Braddock’s Corners (NW 17 Ave and 20 St)

Started Miami Film Studios in Hialeah

Opened Miami Kennel Club, second US dog track

Built Miami Jockey Club, later Hialeah Race Track

Introduced Jai-Alai to Miami and built fronton
79th Street Causeway in 1928, before
other causeways to access Hialeah Race
Track, leading to the growth and development
of north east Miami

Donated 6 miles of right-of-way for
extension of Seaboard Air Line Railroad

Donated 2 miles right-of-way for FEC
Railroad Belt Line, so trains could bypass
downtown Miami

Founding donor of University of Miami and
received honorary doctorate

Opened Aerocar Manufacturing Company
in Opa-locka

Built the Pan American Exhibition Center
to promote tropical agriculture

Built the Florida Aviation Camp in Opa-locka

Started Hialeah Press

Opened golf course in Miami Springs, South
Florida’s oldest municipal course

Opened first state-chartered bank in Dade County

Deeded Miami Springs and Opa-locka golf
courses to City of Miami so underground
wells could supply adequate water for
continued growth

Helped create Miami City National Bank to foster
development

Appointed to Florida Drainage Board and Okeechobee
Flood Control District

Along with Cuban investors, formed Aerovias Curtiss-
Cubana (now Cubana)

Honorary Greater Miami Airports Association
(GMAA) president, prompted establishing Miami's
Aviation Department to administer 160-acre Hialeah
field Curtiss donated

The Curtiss Florida years totaled about ten until Glenn's death in 1930. He was still inventing, innovating, and enjoying his remarkable number of interests and avocations--archery, golf, hunting, and motorcars, to name a few, when an embolism from an appendicitis operation took his life.

More and more unbiased researchers, not connected with the National Air and Space Museum, whose blatantly obvious bias is the Wight brothers and anti-Curtiss, are discovering Glenn Hammond Curtiss. Some of the best new sites on the net have to do with his contributions and inventions, not just in aviation, which were enormous, but in other fields, like motorcycles or his Aero Car. (This will link you to a large site with much information about Curtiss's life and work.)

For a fresh look at the Wright brothers and analyses of the present biased history, please see truthinaviationhistory.blogspot.com