Jim Krumel: Smithsonian Magazine tells Delphos woman’s story
Jim Krumel
Robert Holdgreve grew up in the 1930s and early ’40s listening to stories about how his great-aunt, Ida Holdgreve, worked alongside Orrville and Wilbur Wright when they were building airplanes.
The 91-year-old Delphos resident thought he had heard all of the stories until several weeks ago when he received a copy of the March 15 edition of the Smithsonian Magazine, which is the official journal of the prestigious Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
In it was the headline and story: “How Ida Holdgreve’s Stitches Helped the Wright Brothers Get Off the Ground.” It went on to recognize her as the first female worker in the American aviation industry.