This Greenwood Lake Centennial Event features some EARLY ROCKET SCIENCE IN OUR OWN BACKYARD:
THE 1936 GREENWOOD LAKE ROCKET MAIL FLIGHT
Saturday, February 24th
2:00 to 4:00pm
The Rocket Airplane Mail Flight on February 23, 1936, was an event that focused national attention on Greenwood Lake at the NY/NJ state line. It brought together three men with very different purposes.
Rocket scientist Willy Ley saw an opportunity for a legitimate test of a design for a small rocket-powered winged airplane. Fred Kessler, a New York City stamp dealer, loaded the rocket with postcards and covers that he could sell to waiting collectors. John Schleich, a local businessman and future mayor, saw an opportunity to put Greenwood Lake on the map. In the end, the efforts of these men culminated in “one small step” in the advancement of the young field of rocket science. How successful was it? Judge for yourself from the original newsreel footage!
But as will also be revealed in this presentation, the story of this experiment at Greenwood Lake includes sabotage, and evidence that it may have played a significant role in the Nazi's reign of terror in WWII!
The event will start at 2 PM with an outdoor demonstration designed for the kids. Jim Hall, NASA Solar System Ambassador, will explore the main way that rockets get to space. The big push of the rocket is called thrust. There are many ways to create thrust; water, hydrogen, oxygen, steam, reaction, and even electric for spacecraft. Using household items like baking soda and regular vinegar to create thrust, he plans to launch a light weight rocket hopefully higher than the 1936 launch. This is A STEAM or STEM project from NASA.
Then, at 3:00pm, the presentation will move indoors for a PowerPoint and video presentation by Greenwood Lake historian Stephen Gross. There will also be an extensive display of original memorabilia associated with the 1936 Greenwood Lake rocket mail, including actual pieces of mail carried in the rocket.
Admission is FREE! Donations to support this and other Greenwood Lake Centennial events throughout 2024 are graciously accepted.
Greenwood Lake Elks Lodge No. 2067
35 Chestnut Street
Greenwood Lake, NY