Post-Revolutionary War to Civil War
1821 Historic Celebration of an Early Balloon Ascension From the Washington Gardens of Boston to Charlestown
September 20th, 1821, Autograph Letter Signed, “Willm. Froast,” at Boston, to his daughter regarding a historic Balloon Ascension (by Aeronaut Mr. Guille), From the Washington Gardens of Boston to Charlestown, with Integral Address Leaf, Choice Very Fine.
Unique and rare original 8” x 11” Letter, 1 page, plus its Integral Address Leaf. It bears a manuscript 12 cent Paid, and red round stamped “BOSTON - SEP 20 - MS” for postage. Here, William Frost has written to his daughter Sally in Portland, regarding staying a few days in Boston on his way traveling up through Maine. While in Boston, he writes that will see the “much celebrated balloon ascension”, plus other news. This very clean, well written and easily readable letter states, in part:

“This afternoon I shall go to see the Balloon ascend - Much company is expected to be there. (and continues) - It appears by late newspapers, that the Queen of England has at last been dispatched on a journey to the other world, instead of going to Constantinople to visit the Grand-Seignior’s segraglis, where the celebrated Lady (I forgot her name, but your Grandmama knows who I mean). She had a son, an excentric traveller who travelled in a Turkish dress to ...”

Reported in September 1821, this was the major, historic aviation event that is well known and recorded, regarding Ascension from the Washington Gardens, Boston, of aeronaut Mr. Guille in a balloon...

"A platform ... has been constructed in the Washington Gardens, so that the public may enjoy in tranquility this beautiful spectacle. The ascension of the balloon will take place at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Mr. Guille will himself ascend in his balloon, in presence of the spectators, and rise with it into the higher regions of the air. "However "soon after Mr. Guille's ascent, a slight shower of rain came on, which induced him to shorten his excursion. While the balloon was still in sight of many of the spectators, it was observed to descend rapidly, and to land in the western part of Charlestown.