Born in Detroit, William Edward “Bill” Boeing attended Yale University, but left to come to the Northwest in 1903, coincidentally the same year that Wright brothers achieved history’s first powered, heavier-than-air flight.
After making his fortune in the timber industry near Gray’s Harbor, Washington, Boeing moved to Seattle in 1908. There, he was involved in a variety of business ventures related to wood products, including a furniture factoring and a boatyard.
Having founded the Boeing Airplane Company, he expanded it into a portfolio of aviation holdings which included the forerunner of today’s United Air Lines.
In 1934, when Depression-era legislation forbade aircraft manufacturers from owning airlines, and vice versa, Bill Boeing resigned as chairman of the board and left the company. He kept his distance from the company during the coming years, living quietly in retirement except for some consultancy work during World War II.
In 1954, however, he returned as the guest of honor for the roll-out of the “Dash-Eighty” prototype of the legendary 707 jetliner series. Two years later, at the age of 74, Boeing died on his yacht.
William Edward Boeing – The Founder of Boeing
