Media Monday: Charles Lindbergh Returns to New York , June 13, 1927

Image of New York Harbor filled with boats waiting the return of Charles Lindbergh and the "Spirit of St. Louis". Still from video digitized by Steamship Historical Society.

Relive the historic return of Charles Lindbergh to New York from the deck of the S.S. "Dewitt Clinton". Other vessels featured in this vintage film include the Steamboat "Hendrick Hudson", S.S. "Rochambeau", and the S.S. "Berlin". 

On June 13, 1927 25-year-old Charles Lindbergh returned to New York from the first solo transatlantic flight from New York. Lindbergh worked as a U.S. Postal Service pilot as well as a barnstormer. Barnstormers traveled the country performing aerobatic stunts and selling airplane rides. Lindbergh decided, with the backing of several people in St. Louis, to compete for the Orteig Prize—a $25,000 reward put up by French hotelier Raymond Orteig for the first person to fly an airplane non-stop from New York to Paris.  Lindbergh, at the age of 25, and the Spirit of St. Louis took off from a muddy runway at Long Island’s Roosevelt Field on the morning of May 20, 1927. He left the plane’s side windows open so that cold air and rain would keep him alert on the 33-1/2 hour flight. The sleep-deprived Lindbergh later reported he had hallucinated about ghosts during the flight. Read more about Lindbergh and the flight here: https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/charles-a-lindbergh​

---

If you enjoyed this post and would like to support more history blog content, please make a donation to the Hudson River Maritime Museum or become a member today!​

Donate Now

Join Today