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^[[#15]]
[[preprinted]]
City of Detroit
DETROIT HISTORICAL COMMISSION
[[strikethrough]] 441 Merrick Avenue [[/strikethrough]]
DETROIT 2, MICHIGAN
Temple 3-5410

COMMISSIONERS 
GEORGE W. STARK 
LEONARD N. SIMONS 
MRS. FRED T. MURPHY
DONALD S. KISKADDEN

RAYMOND C. MILLER, PH.D.
Secretary and Consultant

HENRY D. BROWN
Director
BARTLETT M. FROST
Assistant Director
[[/preprinted]]

December 22, 1952

Mr. Fred J. Wiseman
1817 Oxford
Berkeley 9, California

Dear Mr. Wiseman:

Next year, as you know, will mark the 50th Anniversary of the Wright Brothers' flight at Kitty Hawk. Since that time, aviation has made tremendous strides until it now influences the everyday life of all individuals. Michigan people have taken a leading part in that growth, and their activities, as an important part of aviation history should be preserved for future generations.

To accomplish this, the Department of Aeronautics of the State of Michigan has established the Michigan Aviation Historical Committee to assist in the preparation of a history of aviation in Michigan. This history, planned for publication in 1953, will be a factual story based on the best available historical documentation. Yet such collections are still in the hands of individuals, like yourself, who helped build the aviation industry.

In recognition of this, a sub-committee composed of Mr. Owen W. Bombard, Ford Archives, Ford Motor Company, Mr. Frank R. Davis, Curator of Mechanical Arts, Edison Institute, and myself has been formed to survey private documentary collections and to ascertain their availability for the history now in preparation.

Your own participation in aviation has prompted us to submit the enclosed questionnaire in the belief that you may have valuable information of use to the aviation historian. If you have no historical source material, we would find a brief autobiographical sketch of great value in our work.

Needless to say, we will be very grateful for any suggestions or assistance that you may extend to our committee in the furtherance of work.

Sincerely yours, 

^[[Henry D Brown]]
Henry D. Brown, Director
Detroit Historical Museum

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