Famed North Carolina Aviator Belvin Maynard, nicknamed “The Flying Parson,” has received a historical marker in his hometown of Harrells just a stone’s throw away from his family farm.
The unveiling ceremony for the marker was held Saturday at the Old Academy across from Harrells Christian Academy on Tomahawk Highway. The event was attended by many locals to the town of Harrells, as well as many decedents to the Maynard family name and John Lancaster, a Washington Post journalist and author of the acclaimed book “The Great Air Race,” in which he retraces Maynard’s flight path and the events of the race.
“It was the absolute joy of a lifetime to be able to retrace the steps of the race,” said Lancaster.
Many of the Maynard descendants praised Lancaster for his book and stated that he was instrumental in the town receiving the marker. Without his book, it is a possibility that Maynard’s story could have become a piece of lost history.
According to Courtney O’Kelley Cox, Maynard’s great-niece, the historical marker program of North Carolina was established in 1935 and since then has operated hand in hand with the Department of Transportation.
“There are currently 1,661 historical markers throughout the state,” said Cox. “Every county has at least one marker. This one is number I-99.”
O’Cox stated that each region of the state is divided up into letters A through P and then given a number based on how many there are in that region. This means that in region I, the new marker is the 99th marker in the region. To receive a marker, applications are reviewed by an advisory committee that meets only twice a year.
“Getting a marker is no easy task,” said Cox. “The state receives many applications each year and then the committee approves them based on statewide as opposed to local significance. The markers are then each handmade and are expected to last for generations.”
Maynard has a deep significance when it comes to North Carolina and aviation as a whole. Maynard was the winner of The Transcontinental Air Race, sometimes called the Great Air Race. The race is often credited with changing the game of aviation as it created a spotlight on the story for better or for worse. Shortly after the race, the first commercial airfield in North Carolina was built and named after Maynard. To show his appreciation, Maynard completed the first landing on the field.
To read Maynard’s full story, see Wednesday’s print edition of The Sampson Independent.