“Commemorative landscapes” is a fancy term. It means that Lindbergh Drive is more than just a street. It is a living memory of Atlanta’s past.
Lindbergh, the man, was Charles Lindbergh. He was the first to fly solo across the Atlantic. This made him a pioneer in American aviation. The street’s name connects to a significant individual. It also links to an event in Atlanta’s history. Lindbergh highlights the mode of transport that boosted Atlanta’s regional and national prominence.
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was born in Detroit in 1902. He spent his early years in Little Falls Minnesota. Lindbergh made his first solo flight in Georgia at Souther Field in Americus. Souther Field was a training facility for US pilots during World War I. Lindbergh traveled there to purchase a surplus Curtiss JN-4 Jenny biplane. About a week later, once the plane was assembled, Lindbergh decided to test it. On his first solo attempt, he got the plane in the air. High winds and concerns over a potential crash forced him down. A local pilot volunteered to help him practice take-offs and landings. After practicing, Lindbergh went up again on a solo flight. This time he soared to 4500 feet. He landed successfully.
Lindbergh became a United States Army Air Service cadet in 1924. He graduated the following year. In 1926, he made his first flight as an airmail pilot. He serviced a route between Chicago and St Louis. Lindbergh decided to take up hotelier Raymond Orteig’s transatlantic flight challenge. Orteig offered $25000 for a non-stop flight across the Atlantic from New York to Paris. Lindbergh began preparing for the journey in 1926. On May 20 1927, he took off from Roosevelt Field in New York. He flew in the Spirit of St Louis. It was a specially constructed monoplane that he helped design. After flying 33.5 hours and traveling 2610 miles, Lindbergh landed safely at Le Bourget Field near Paris. Lindbergh was caught off guard by the estimated 150000 people who greeted him.
Lindbergh became an international hero overnight. He received a US Congressional Medal of Honor. He also got the French Chevalier Legion of Honor. Lindbergh departed for a two-month tour in the Spirit of St Louis. It was sponsored by the Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of Aeronautics. It took him to 48 states and 82 American cities. Lindbergh flew into Atlanta during this tour.
On October 11, 1927, Lindbergh landed at Candler Field in Hapeville. This is now Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The day was cloudy with drizzle and rain. However, it was Lindbergh Day in Atlanta. The city was prepared for a grand celebration. A large crowd greeted him at the airfield. Atlanta Mayor Isaac Ragsdale and Georgia Governor Lamartine Hardman offered Lindbergh an official welcome. William Hartsfield, a city alderman, was also there.
Lindbergh and his entourage drove to the intersection of Whitehall and Forsyth streets in downtown Atlanta. They joined a celebratory parade. Thousands of spectators lined the parade route. An additional 20000 fans awaited him at Georgia Tech’s Grant Field. Lindbergh gave a speech urging city officials to embrace commercial aviation. Lindbergh’s speech at Grant Field was the largest public gathering in Atlanta’s history. The day’s festivities ended with a dinner in Lindbergh’s honor at the Ansley Hotel. The next morning, he departed for Spartanburg South Carolina.
A few months after his visit, a stretch of Mayson Avenue was renamed Lindbergh Drive. It was to commemorate the Lindbergh Day celebration. It was also to pay homage to the aviator and his ground-breaking transatlantic flight. Lindbergh’s speech had a dramatic impact on Alderman Hartsfield. Hartsfield and his colleagues pushed the city for improvements to Candler Field. By the end of 1927, the illumination system was in place. Atlanta was selected as a stop on the New York and Chicago airmail routes to Miami.
In 1930, Delta Air Corporation and Eastern Air Transport initiated service at Candler Field. The Atlanta Municipal Airport at Candler Field opened the first air passenger terminal in the nation in 1931. Hartsfield’s election as mayor in 1936 cemented Atlanta’s importance.
Lindbergh Drive has retained its name for nearly 100 years. However, many US locations named for Charles Lindbergh have been renamed. This is because of Lindbergh’s acceptance of the Service Cross of the German Eagle. It was presented by Hermann Goering on Adolf Hitler’s behalf. It was also because of his stance against US involvement in World War II.