First Air Crossing of the Canadian Rockies National Historic Event
Lethbridge, Alberta
HSMBC plaque
(© Parks Canada Agency / Agence Parcs Canada, 2011)
Address :
Galt Gardens, 3rd Avenue South, Lethbridge, Alberta
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
1961-01-01
Dates:
-
1919 to 1919
(Significant)
Event, Person, Organization:
-
Captain E.C. Hoy
(Person)
Other Name(s):
-
First Air Crossing of the Canadian Rockies
(Designation Name)
Importance:
Captain E. C. Hoy flew from Vancouver to Lethbridge in 1919
Plaque(s)
Existing plaque: Richmond Cultural Centre, 7700 Minoru Gate, Richmond, British Columbia
Existing plaque: Galt Gardens Park, 7th Street South and 3rd Avenue South, Lethbridge, Alberta
On August 7, 1919, Captain E.C. Hoy made the first crossing of the Canadian Rockies by air from Vancouver following a route over Vernon, Grand Forks, Cranbrook, and through Crawford Pass. His Canadian built Curtiss JN4 ("Jenny"), its flying altitude limited to 7,000 feet by an extra fuel load, took off from old Minoru Park Race Track, Lulu Island at 4:14 a.m. After manoeuvring between towering peaks and barely clearing heights of land en route, Hoy ended the history-making part of his flight at Lethbridge at 6:22 p.m. The hazards now behind him, he flew on to Calgary, landing at 8:55 p.m.