 |
| A restored 1920's biplane. |
It was the age of Lindbergh – a time when little boys glued newspaper
clippings in notebooks to keep track of the great aviator’s life. I know this because we have Mr. Burl’s; it is
a sweet memento from his childhood, and when I look at it, I can't help but think
that out of all the changes his generation witnessed, men taking to the air must
have been the most amazing.
From the journals:
Since the days of the Wright
Brothers at Kitty Hawk, airplanes have caused excitement. A person living in a rural community like
Bath County seldom saw an airplane until the late twenties. Maybe once a year, a pilot flying an old biplane (two wings)
would come here to pick up a few dollars.
Those early planes were small with wooden frames covered with treated
canvas.
Much excitement was generated by
those flyers who hopped around from one locality to another. Occasionally, a daredevil pilot would drop
down on one of the local pastures and offer rides for five dollars. Back then, five dollars would have been a
small fortune. Not many locals were able
to afford that fare, especially the younger people.
There were two spots around Owingsville on which those flyers were
prone to land. “Shields’ Flat” was a nice level place and was
adjacent to town. That land is now
called Darnell Subdivision. “Horseman’s Bottom”
was the other good spot and was then
owned by Mr. Lennie Horseman.
Hope you enjoyed this post - Ginger
 |
| Charles Augustus Lindbergh, circa 1923. In 1927, Lindbergh set records on his flight from New York to Paris, and upon landing, "a crowd estimated at 150,000 spectators stormed the field, dragged Lindbergh out of the cockpit, and literally carried him around above their heads for nearly half an hour." The kidnapping of Lindbergh's child in 1932 grabbed the attention of the entire nation - it was dubbed "The Crime of the Century." His controversial views on race, as well as his hesitancy regarding U.S. involvement in WWII, add a complicated layer to the story of this true American hero, making him a fascinating character to learn more about. |
Labels: transportation
