Lindbergh exhibit malces history
museum the piace to be
JANE
LANGFORD
Staff Writer
Over the course of histo
ry, few people have been as
significant as Charles
Lindbergh. This feet is
clearly evident after visit
ing the new exhibit about
Lindbei^ at the North
Carolina Museum of
History. Lindbergh, which
opened last Saturday,
details Lindbeigh*s life
from birth, to his famous
voyage across the Atlantic
Ocean, to his death.
There was surprisingly
little information about the
famous kidnapping and
murder of his toddler son
Charles, Jr.
On May 20, 1927,
Charles Lindbergh set off
from New York in an
attempt to become the first
person to travel by plane
across the Atlantic. After
thirty-three and a half hours
of worrisome, death defy
ing, trying hours, he landed
in Paris, France having bro
ken the world record for
distance in an airplane.
With over 400 artifacts, the
exhibit is amazingly
detailed. In truth, it is the
m
Charles Lindbergh aviation poster.
photo courtesy ofwww.charleslindbergh.com
artifacts that set this exhibit
apart from many of the
other big name exhibits that
recently have been present
in the area.
From the beginning, a
timeline detailing not only
Lindbergh and his life, but
also world events helps
place the importance and
cultural relevance of his
flight in context. There are
many small artifacts, such
as a toy cast-iron cannon
that Lindbei^ had as a
child, which make the
On the inside:
iMeredlth students make a differ
ence Page 2
Speciai Pops Dance Page 3
exhibit personal.
There is also a replica of
the cockpit of the Spirit of
St. Louis, the plane
Lindbergh flew. In it you
will find that Lindbergh
flew across the ocean in a
wicker chair. Add to that
the &ct that he chose not to
have a radio, did not run
the lights on his control
panel, and did not install
any windows (he said the
flow of air helped keep him
awake). Visitors realize
how difficult a day and a
half it was.
The importance the
world placed on this one
man is mind blowing.
Speaking on his flight over
Ireland on his way to
France, Lindbergh said,
"People came running out I
skim low over their houses-
blue-jeaned peasants, white
aproned wives, children
scrambling between them,
all bareheaded and looking
as though they'd jumped up
from the supper table to
search for the noise about
their roofs." This quote is
taken directly from the log
book he kept during his
journey, which is on dis
play at the exhibit. There
are newspaper articles from
all over the world regarding
his flight, and for a day and
a half the world held its
breath to see if Charles
Lindbergh would survive
the trek.
The most interesting
pieces on display are those
that Lindbergh actually had
with him on the flight.
Artifcats include his actual
flight suit, his logbook, his
spark plugs and his pilot's
identification card. There
is also a glass full of oil
from the plane.
Unfortunately, the actual
Spirit of St. Louis hangs in
the Smithsonian in
Washington, D.C.
The most beneficial part
of the exhibit is the movies
that show the event occur
ring. Th^re is footage of his
take off and landing. The
fibns allow you to see Just
how important this event
was to people all over the
world. Lindbei^ was
greeted by thousands of
people at Le Boui^et air
port in France. This, how
ever, was rather insignifi
cant when compared to the
reception he received back
in America.
He had crowds of over
75.000 people meet him in
Washington, D.C., New
York City, and over
100.000 in his home of St.
Louis. The footage is jaw
dropping. In St. Louis, the
parade lasted for eight
miles!
Lindbergh Cont. on
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Lindbergh with Spirit of St.
Louis in 1927.
photo courtesy of
charieslingt>ergh. com