10:30am | Councilwoman Schipske of the Fifth District is dedicated to helping spread the word about Long Beach’s aviation history.
“Our beach made a good landing strip for early aviators,” Schipske said. That’s one reason Calbraith “Cal” Rodgers finished his history-making first transcontinental flight here on December 10, 1911. “That and $5,000 from the Chamber of Commerce,” she notes.
Councilwoman Schipske will discuss the first transcontinental flight and other important events that put Long Beach into the aviation history books , during her talk about “Early Aviation in Long Beach,” based upon her book published by Arcadia Publishing. The August 20th event, at the El Dorado Branch Library, is open to the public and begins at 10 a.m.
Schipske’s affection for the city’s history led to her idea for Rosie the Riveter Park near the former Douglas Aircraft plant and this year’s six-month Centennial Celebration of Rodgers’ First Transcontinental Flight aboard the “Vin Fiz.”
To keep track of the events, visit www.vinfizlongbeach.com.