In the third and final book on aviation, the book club turned to a book of historical fiction, Above the Fray, a Novel of the Union Balloon Corps by Kris Jackson. The Fray in question, of course was the Civil War and the story was told through the eyes of a young man who joined the Union Army and ended up in the Balloon Corps. The story followed this young man through major battles in Virginia and ultimately to Gettysburg. I have to admit historical fiction is not my favorite type of literature.

The Balloon Corps was headed by Thaddeus Lowe, who eventually moved to southern California. Mt. Lowe in the San Gabriel Mountains is named for him. He built a small gas company that was absorbed by Southern California Gas Company. He constructed the Mt. Lowe Railway, remnants that can be seen today.As noted in my previous email, Thaddeus Lowe was the grandfather of Pancho Barnes who carried on his aviation tradition.

During World War I, the Balloon Corps had a training facility in Arcadia near the golf course, at Ross Field. The Elk’s Lodge building on Huntington Drive is the last vestige of the former air field. Trainees would hike into the mountains and practice reconnaissance as if they were aloft in a balloon.
Besides Thaddeus Lowe, there are other southern California connections to the Civil War:
Rosecrans Boulevard is named for Union General William Rosecrans who purchased Rancho San Pedro. 
Johnston Street in Lincoln Heights is named for Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston, the highest ranking soldier to be killed in action during the Civil War.
Alabama Hills were named in honor of the Confederate war ship, CSS Alabama. Theodore Roosevelt’s uncle served on the ship.
Kearsarge Pass was named for the USS Kearsarge, the Union ship that sank the CSS Alabama.