Montgomery Memorial facts for kids
The Montgomery Memorial is a special monument in San Diego, California. It was built to honor John Joseph Montgomery, a brave pioneer in aviation. John Montgomery made some of the first glider flights way back in the 1880s! He flew his gliders near Otay, California.
This monument was officially opened on May 21, 1950. It stands right next to the Montgomery-Waller Recreation Center. The most amazing part is a huge, shiny stainless steel wing that stands 93 feet tall! This wing was actually a test part for a large airplane called the Consolidated B-32 Dominator. Because of this giant silver wing, many people in the area call the monument "Silver Wing."
Contents
History of the Monument
Planning and Building the Memorial
The idea for the Montgomery Memorial started in 1945. The local government, known as the County of San Diego, bought 7 acres of land. Their goal was to build a monument to honor John J. Montgomery.
By March 1946, they bought even more land, adding 18 acres next to the first plot. This larger area was planned to become Montgomery Park.
A famous architect named Lloyd Ruocco designed the monument. He was known for his modern designs. Around the base of the monument, there's a special walkway made of terrazzo. This walkway has the names of other famous aviators carved into the stone. These are pilots who flew after Montgomery. Close by, there is also a stone tablet with a special message about Montgomery's flights.
Dedication Day
The Montgomery Memorial was officially opened on Sunday, May 21, 1950. John Montgomery's brother, James Montgomery, and his sister, Jane Montgomery, were there. It was a very important day for their family.
Robert Wilson was in charge of the Montgomery Memorial Committee. William Brotherton was the host for the ceremony. Jerome Rudrauff, who was the President of the San Diego Junior Chamber of Commerce, officially presented the Memorial. James A. Robbins, the Chairman of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, formally accepted it.
Recognized as a Landmark
The Montgomery Memorial is very important to California's history. It is officially recognized as a California Historical Landmark with the number 711.
It is also a Historic Landmark in San Diego. The San Diego Historical Resources Board gave it the number 13.
Park Development and Events
The land that was first bought for Montgomery Park later became the Montgomery-Waller Recreation Center. This happened in 1964. Another piece of land was given by the family of Luckie Waller. This land was also used for a park named after her son.
In the 1970s, a special event called the "Montgomery Meet" was held near the monument. This was for early hang gliders, who would fly from the nearby hill.
Later in the 1970s, another recreation center in the area was named the Silver Wing Recreation Center. This name was inspired by the monument's giant silver wing.
