Famous aviator Amelia Earhart landed on an airfield near here on November 14, 1931. She was piloting a Beechnut Autogiro on a nation wide tour promoting Beechnut Products. It was shortly after completing this tour that she made her famous solo flight across the Atlantic, flying from Harbour Grace, Newfoundland to Londonberry, Ireland on May 20, 1932. The airfield where Earhart landed was the original Anderson County Airport, founded in 1928 on the highest land Anderson County owned, this "airport" a mere grass strip that was originally planned as an emergency landing field. It later became a joint city county facility where planes delivering air mail landed. This field functioned until the land for the current airport on Highway 24 was purchased and developed in the mid 1930's.
(Following describes the photo on the marker):
Earhart (in coveralls) was greeted by more than 1000 Proud Andersonians including Bonner Kid, J.H. Mitchell, Mayor G.T. McGregor, Mrs F.D. Suggs, Mrs. J.H. Mitchell, Dr. F.D. Suggs, Pete Thornton, Lee Sullivan, Tom Speer, and Bill Garrison.
"Celebrating 100 Years of Lighting The Way"
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