Did You Know Charles Linbergh Landed Here In Maine?

I had no idea he landed "The Spirit of St. Louis" here in Maine. My grandmother, who is now 99 and still sharp as a tack told me the story the other day. I was pie eyed with her story and after all these years I never knew she saw him! 

"The Spirit of St. Louis" and Charles Linbergh made an unexpected stop in Old Orchard Beach on it's tour across America, through Canada and Central America in July 1927. This was after his epic New York to Paris flight that made him famous. My grandmother recalls seeing him fly right over her home in Cape Elizabeth. She was outside, heard a strange sound, looked up and there was an unusual sight before her. It was an AIRPLANE! It was quite low, low enough to know it was him. She said she waved jumping up and down and he tipped hid wings for her. After all these years, I never knew this.

I then went on a quest to find out where Linbergh landed in OOB and what the circumstances were. Apparently Portland was fogged over and he couldn't land. He circled for hours before deciding the safest thing to do is land in Old Orchard Beach. He landed at the air strip in Old Orchard Beach on July 24, 1927, parking the famous plane at Harry Jones' Hangar.

I traveled down to OOB to investigate. I found out the old hanger was located where "friendship" motel is located right on East Grand Avenue. And why did I never think of "Linbergh's Landing?" I never even knew they were referring to CHARLES. What a cool thing! I've lived here my entire life and never knew this little bit of history. Apparently, hundreds of people showed up to see Linbergh's stop. The Spirit of St.. Louis is now hanging in The Smithsonian. I remember looking up at it as a little girl, never did I know that my Grandmother had done the very same thing in a very different way.