A series where we take a #lookback at the stories and history of our community, brought to you by Mick Pryor, Financial Advisor with Edward Jones.
Airmail first came to Fremont County in 1938. It was Ed. T. Mileski on May 19th of that year who flew the first official airmail services for towns along the Big Horn and Wind Rivers.
Airmail, however, had been in existence long before then. In 1911 the United States Postal Service (USPS) began using planes and pilots for airmail service. Earle Ovington flew the first official U.S. Mail flight on September 23, 1911.
During the early 1900s many of these U.S. Mail pilots were not well trained. They faced unpredictable weather and had unreliable equipment. The planes they used were made out of wooden frames with canvas and had open cockpits. Planes of that era were described as “a nervous collection of whistling wires, of linen stretched over wooden ribs, all attached to a wheezy, water-cooled engine.” A manual from 1918 entitled “Practical Hints on Flying” tells pilots to “never forget that the engine may stop.” Due to the combination of these factors, there were many crashes.
Additionally, without modern GPS and radar technology, the pilots navigated using landmarks on the ground. Often times, railroad tracks were utilized by pilots. They even became referred to as “the iron compass.”
The period between World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945), is known as the Golden Age of Aviation or the Golden Age of Flight. Many innovations occurred during this time regarding the materials planes were built with and plane design. Biplanes were some of the earliest designs for aircraft. They had two wings stacked on top of each other spanning both sides of the plane’s body. But during the 1920s and 1930s another plane design came to prominence- the monoplane. Monoplanes had a single main wing, more like modern aircraft. This caused it to produce less drag than biplanes. Wooden framing was also replaced with metal created from aluminum alloys.
Scheduled U.S. airmail flights officially began in 1918 and allowed for pioneers in the field of aviation. Katherine Stinson was the first woman to fly a trial airmail route from Chicago to New York. Stinson also flew over the 1913 Montana State Fair dropping mail. This was the first time a women flew a U.S. Mail route. Further, in 1919, the first international mail flight was undertaken with Eddie Hubbard flying between Seattle, Washington and Victoria, British Columbia.
While it took 20 years after scheduled airmail service began in the United States for Fremont County to see regular airmail service, the impact of airmail cannot be understated. The use of airplanes and pilots as a mail delivery service revolutionized our ability to communicate across long distances at speed. Airmail also established international air routes that laid the basis for commercial aviation.
The ability to access airmail allowed rural areas and small towns to have up to date news, speedy communication, and the ability to connect with the rest of the world.
Next up for the Fremont County Museum
May 23, 10am at the Dubois Museum, “Kids Corner: Blacksmithing History” Bailey’s Tire/Pit Stop Children’s Exploration Series
May 30, 2pm at the Riverton Museum, “Draper Raptor Experience” Bailey’s Tire/Pit Stop Children’s Exploration Series
June 6, 10am with the Pioneer Museum, “Mt. Hope Cemetery Trek” Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek Series
June 6, 10am with the Riverton Museum, “Mountain View Cemetery Trek” Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek Series
June 6, 9am with the Dubois Museum, “Historic Absaroka Ranch Trek” Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek Series
June 9, 7pm at the Pioneer Museum, “J.K. Ralston” Wyoming Community Bank Discovery Speakers Series
Daily through December at the Pioneer Museum, “Sweetwater Ranch Life, The Paintings of Jack Corbett” Exhibition Opening
Rare Relics Road Show: Save the Date: Saturday October 10, 2026 Lander, WY Lander Community Center, You Are Invited!
Call the Dubois Museum 1-307-455-2284, the Pioneer Museum 1-307-332-3339 or the Riverton Museum 1-307-856-2665 for detail regarding their programs.
The Dubois Museum, the Pioneer Museum in Lander and the Riverton Museum need your financial support. In the current economic environment, the museums are more reliant than ever on donations from the private sector to continue to provide the quality programs, collections management, exhibits and services that have become their hallmark over the last four years. Please make your tax deductible contribution through the Wind River Cultural Centers Foundation https://windriverccf.funraise.org/ or by sending a check to Fremont County Museums 450 N 2nd Rm 320 or taking it directly to the museum you choose to support.