Conner Prairie's Iconic Balloon Survives Heavy Snowstorm

The 1859 Balloon Voyage at the living-history museum in Fishers, Indiana remains undamaged after a crew cleared snow from the massive helium-filled balloon.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 9:55pm

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The large, tethered, helium-filled balloon that floats over the Conner Prairie living-history museum in Fishers, Indiana survived a weekend snowstorm unscathed. A crew spent over an hour clearing snow from the top of the 105-foot tall, 73-foot wide balloon, which is one of only five tethered helium balloons in the United States and the only one used for educational historical purposes.

Why it matters

The 1859 Balloon Voyage at Conner Prairie is a unique historical attraction that honors the first successful airmail delivery in the U.S. and has lifted over 190,000 passengers to a height of 370 feet. Preserving this iconic balloon is important for maintaining the museum's educational mission and continuing to draw visitors to the area.

The details

After a weekend storm that dumped 11.8 inches of snow in Fishers, a crew worked to clear the snow from the top of the massive helium balloon at Conner Prairie. The green-and-white balloon is part of the museum's 1859 Balloon Voyage exhibit, which features a tethered balloon that is taller than an eight-story building and wider than the museum's covered bridge.

  • The 1859 Balloon Voyage has lifted more than 190,000 passengers since it was established.
  • Conner Prairie's Winter on the Prairie events will happen from Friday through Sunday.

The players

Conner Prairie

A living-history museum in Fishers, Indiana that features the 1859 Balloon Voyage exhibit with a massive tethered helium balloon.

John Wise

The designer and pilot of the Jupiter balloon, which marked the first successful airmail delivery in the U.S. in 1895.

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What’s next

Conner Prairie's Winter on the Prairie events this weekend will feature the preserved 1859 Balloon Voyage exhibit.

The takeaway

The survival of Conner Prairie's iconic helium balloon through a heavy snowstorm demonstrates the museum's commitment to preserving this unique historical attraction and continuing to educate visitors about early aviation history.