Archives Launches Tribute to Silver Dart Pilot

In honour of the centennial anniversary of the flight of the Silver Dart in Baddeck, Nova Scotians can celebrate the first person to fly an airplane in Canada through a new online exhibit presented by the Nova Scotia Archives.

J.A.D. McCurdy and the Silver Dart: Canada's First Aerial Navigator features 65 photos, news clippings, portraits, and artwork dedicated to the Cape Breton-born engineer who took to the skies in 1909 under the guidance of inventor Alexander Graham Bell.

"Nova Scotia has always been a home for innovators," said Bill Dooks, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. "The legacy of J.A.D. McCurdy, Alexander Graham Bell and the Aerial Experiment Association is an important part of our history and appeals to residents and visitors alike."

The virtual exhibit traces the life of Mr. McCurdy, from his childhood in Cape Breton, his landmark flights and impact on the history of aviation, and his time as Nova Scotia's Lieutenant Governor. Featured in this exhibit are photographs of the Silver Dart soaring above the snow-covered scenery of Baddeck Bay, McCurdy and Premier Angus L. MacDonald addressing the future Queen Elizabeth, and celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Silver Dart in 1959.

"We are proud to present this tribute to a truly inspiring Nova Scotian," said provincial archivist Brian Speirs. "We are pleased that Mr. McCurdy's family has chosen to donate his personal papers to the province of his birth."

Centennial celebrations will take place across the country on National Aviation Day, Feb. 23, but the spotlight will be on Baddeck, where the history of aviation in Canada began.

"J.A.D. McCurdy is considered a father of Canadian aviation and a great subject for the Nova Scotia Archives' virtual exhibit," said Shane MacFarlane, Chair of the Silver Dart Centennial Association. "The work done by Mr. McCurdy, and the legacy he left behind in Baddeck with the flight of the Silver Dart, is a significant part of our heritage and one that this exhibit and our events will celebrate."

The exhibit is on the Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management website at www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/mccurdy/ .

Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management acquires, preserves and makes available the province's documentary heritage.