August 17, 1859, John Wise boarded his hot air balloon Jupiter--along with a locked U.S. mailbag--in Lafayette, Indiana. The parcels of the mailbag were addressed to New York City; and that's where he intended to deliver them.
Alas, a lack of wind forced him to land a mere thirty miles away, in Crawfordsville, Indiana ... where the mail proceeded to board a train...
Alas, a lack of wind forced him to land a mere thirty miles away, in Crawfordsville, Indiana ... where the mail proceeded to board a train...
{envelope intended to be delievered 'via balloon Jupiter'; copyright National Postal Museum}
