Statesville, North Carolina: Hot Air Balloon Capital of the East

A Little History

When man first took to the skies, it was in a hot air balloon in 1783. Benjamin Franklin was witness to an incredible historic event when the Montgolfier Brothers’ paper and linen balloon launched from downtown Paris. However, flying by heating the air inside a big bag was short-lived. Within a year of that first manned flight, the lifting gas hydrogen was discovered, and flying with air-tight, gas-filled balloons quickly replaced flying in the heated kind. So you’ll know, the Fourth Creek Congregation, known as Statesville, was just six years old that year and home to less than 100 people.

Tracy Barnes: Founding Father - Modern Hot-air Ballooning

Fast forward to 1961. Hot air ballooning was reborn as a modern means of fight when the technology of ignited propane gas from pressurized tanks could safely heat the air captured in huge nylon bags. Aeronauts quickly began to experiment with this new technique of hot air ballooning. In the 1960s, the four founding fathers of modern hot-air-ballooning in the US were Ed Yost, Don Piccard, Mark Semich, and Tracy Barnes. Luckily for us, Tracy landed here.

From Love Valley, NC to the Smithsonian

As Tracy continued designing and test flying his newly FAA certified hot air balloons at Love Valley’s Rhyne Aerodrome, the mystique surrounding his modern flying machines captured the imagination of the farmers and families all around his shop—suitably housed in several refurbished chicken houses. It was common to see balloons aloft morning and afternoon.

So, Barnes Balloons moved to town, became Firefly Balloons, and here in Statesville the rest is an amazing aviation history we can be proud of. In 1974, The National Balloon Rally, born out of Tracy’s sales director Bill Meadows’ desire to bring his customers, along with their new balloons, back to Statesville for a week of camping out and fun flying. Our balloon rally became so popular with balloonists nationwide that it has affectionately been known as “The Statesville Rally” for many years. Since its beginning, Statesville has hosted hundreds of pilots, including international ballooning champions, welcomed tens of thousands of dazzled visitors, and, as part of its mission, donated well over half-a-million dollars to nonprofit organizations.