Lot Details & Additional Photographs
Approximately 200-250 items, circa 1918-1970s, material pertaining to Captain William Tate's connection to Orville and Wilbur Wright and their early flight experiments in Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina's Outer Banks, as well as material related to Tate's life and his appreciation for aviation, with the majority of the material relating to celebrations, dedications, or monuments/memorials paying tribute to the Wright brothers, or to Tate's efforts to honor Wilbur and Orville's work through attending events, giving speeches, etc. The archive consists mostly of typed and hand-written letters to Tate (with one TLS from Tate); photographs (along with several negatives and tintypes), mostly of Tate, his family and friends, Kitty Hawk, Orville Wright, and dedication ceremonies; programs; as well as various other materials such as postcards, invitations, newspaper clippings, and business cards. Some highlights include: a greeting card from Orville Wright to the Tate Family sent from Dayton, Ohio with a hand-addressed envelope that appears to be in Orville's hand; a hand-written note to Tate from a friend stating "also Remember the Story about you and Mrs Tate thinking the Wright Bro's [were] nuts when they wanted to Fly in the air."; a 1918 ALS from Fred A. Olds, Director N.C. Hall of History, to Tate regarding the first flight; documents regarding the original 1928 monument to the Wright brothers including information such as donations; various materials related to the dedication of the First Flight Boulder in 1928 at the 25th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' flight, including a photo of Orville Wright and N.C. Governor McLean shaking hands and a photo of Amelia Earhart and Orville Wright at the event listening to Tate's speech; and a photo of Tate presenting a shovel to Orville in Dayton, Ohio in 1935. With some copies and duplicates.
Captain William (Bill) James Tate lived in North Carolina's Outer Banks and worked as the postmaster, and for more than two decades as a lighthouse keeper in Coinjock, NC. Perhaps best known as a supporter of Orville and Wilbur Wright, he became friends with the brothers beginning in 1900. The friendship began when the Wright brothers wrote to weather stations in the hopes of finding the best location for their flight experiments, and when they inquired about the wind and weather in Kitty Hawk, Bill Tate responded that the area brought steady winds and he thoughtfully offered them his assistance. Wilbur arrived in Kitty Hawk just a couple of days later, and the brothers even stayed for a time with the Tate family before settling into a tent nearby. The family was closely connected to the early flight experiments, with Bill often assisting, and they even participated in the construction of the glider when the brothers borrowed their sewing machine to make covers for the wings which were later used to make dresses for Tate's daughters. Significantly, Bill Tate helped to raise just over $200 for a marble monument to the Wright brothers in 1928 and continued to be their champion throughout his life.
With expected wear from handling, age, and mailing typical of a large archive of ephemera and photos such as toning, folds, various hand-written notations, small losses, and stains; photos with varying degrees and signs of wear such as tears, creases, and residue; frequent appearance of tape, old paper clips, or associated rust from clips.
