“To collect photographs is to collect the world.” – Susan Sontag

In this incredible photograph, my great-grandmother Madeleine and her sisters Therese and Martine sit in an early airplane with their friends in France.

It was 1908 and airplanes were making their public debut. People partied and celebrated worldwide.

On May 14, 1908, Wilbur and Orville Wright took Charles Furnas, one of their mechanics, up as the world’s first airplane passenger.

There were other experimental aircraft taking to the skies in Europe too.

1908 was truly the year of public flight and my family was celebrating by sitting in an early model of an airplane! ~shared by @come312