Omaha Proclaims Lindbergh Day to Welcome Aviation Hero

Lindbergh and his plane in Omaha, August 30, 1927. NSHS RG3882.PH0-5-a

 

Following his historic trans-Atlantic flight in May of 1927, Charles Lindbergh made a three-month goodwill tour of the United States to promote aviation. Sponsored by Long Islander Harry Guggenheim, the trip took America’s newest hero and his plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, to all of the then forty-eight states.

Lindbergh made 92 stops, gave 147 speeches, and rode in parades covering more than 1.200 miles. Everywhere he went, he was given an enthusiastic welcome.

The photograph above depicts Lindbergh and the Spirit of St. Louis during a brief stop in Omaha on August 30, 1927, proclaimed “Lindbergh Day” by the city. Nebraska governor Adam McMullen, Omaha mayor Jim Dahlman, the Seventeenth Infantry Band, the Boy Scouts, several friends from his early flying days at Lincoln, and a crowd estimated at more than 250,000 welcomed Lindbergh to Omaha.

“Omaha has known street crowds in the past, and has accorded notable welcomes, such as those attending the coming of a Wilson or a Roosevelt, to illustrate but never was there such a crowd or such a welcome as when Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh came here Tuesday,” said the Omaha World-Herald the next day. Businesses were closed in honor of the event.

Lindbergh was escorted by a parade of cars from Omaha’s Municipal Airfield to the Ak-Sar-Ben racetrack, where addresses of welcome were made. He was then taken to the Fontenelle Hotel. In response to Lindbergh’s request, all entertainment ceased at eight p.m. so that he would be well rested for his departure for Denver the next day. Despite the attention paid him, he had a strict schedule to keep.

He did fly over several other Nebraska cities enroute, including Kearney, where he honored an advance commitment to circle the Buffalo County fairgrounds on his way west from Omaha. For more information on early Nebraska aviation, see Vince Goeres’s Wings Over Nebraska: Historic Aviation Photographs, available at the gift shops of the Nebraska History Museum, Chimney Rock Museum, and Fort Robinson History Center.

– Patricia C. Gaster, Assistant Editor / Publications
updated by Chris Goforth 05/07/2021

Become a Member!

Our members make history happen.

Join Now

You May Also Enjoy

The Story of Omaha Police Fingerprint Expert Emily Byram

The Story of Omaha Police Fingerprint Expert Emily Byram

Marker Monday: Cather Childhood Home

Marker Monday: Cather Childhood Home

Yutan Tornado – March 23, 1913

Yutan Tornado – March 23, 1913

About History Nebraska
History Nebraska was founded in 1878 as the Nebraska State Historical Society by citizens who recognized Nebraska was going through great changes and they sought to record the stories of both indigenous and immigrant peoples. It was designated a state institution and began receiving funds from the legislature in 1883. Legislation in 1994 changed History Nebraska from a state institution to a state agency. The division is headed by Interim Director and CEO Jill Dolberg. They are assisted by an administrative staff responsible for financial and personnel functions, museum store services, security, and facilities maintenance for History Nebraska.
Explore Nebraska
Discover the real places and people of our past at these History Nebraska sites.

Upcoming Events

View our new and upcoming events to see how you can get involved.

Become a Member

The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of History Nebraska members.

Latest Hall of Fame Inductee

The Nebraska Hall of Fame was established in 1961 to officially recognize prominent Nebraskans.

Listen to our Podcast

Listen to the articles and authors published in the Nebraska History Magazine with our new Nebraska History Podcast.

Nebraska Collections

History Nebraska's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.

Our YouTube Video Collection

Get a closer look at Nebraska's history through your own eyes, with our extensive video collections.

Additional Research Resources

History Nebraska Research and Reference Services help connect you to the material we collect and preserve.

Support History Nebraska
Make a cash donation to help us acquire, preserve, and interpret Nebraska’s history. Gifts to History Nebraska help leave a legacy and may help your taxes, too! Support the work of History Nebraska by donating to the History Nebraska Foundation today.

Volunteers are the heroes of History Nebraska. So much history, so little time! Your work helps us share access to Nebraska’s stories at our museums and sites, the reference room, and online.