Located just in front of the Carter Co. Vocation School on U.S. Route 60 at Olive Hill, stands Historical Marker 1222, dedicated to Matthew Bacon Sellers, an aviation pioneer, and descendant of Carter County parentage.
Side One reads as follows:
MATTHEW B. SELLERS
"Born in Baltimore, 1869, of parents who were Kentuckians. He
was educated in Germany and France, receiving law degree at Harvard, 1892.
Died in 1932. Among patents he received: 1908, airplane-type kite,
prototype for later models; 1909, four-wing glider, basis for powered plane;
1911, power plane with retractable wheels; 1914, steering and wheel retraction
improvements. See over.
Side Two reads as follows:
AVIATION PIONEER
"Matthew Sellers, among first to experiment with gliding and
power flight did this research at his home and laboratory, 6 mi south,
1897-1911. Built most advanced wind tunnel of his day, 1903, to study
lift and drag of various wing designs; and developed first use of retracting
wheels, 1908, on powered plane said to be lightest ever flown.
According to George Wolfford's "Carter County, A Pictorial History", Matthew first accomplished flight on December 28, 1908, when he flew his quadruplane near Grahn. Following an accident on Oct. 25, 1911, in which his associate, Lincoln Binion, died, Matthew left Carter Co. and did not return until 1931, shortly before his own death.
Submitted by Garrett and Sherry Lowe