Historical Context

Amelia Earhart is a household name in aviation for the many records that she set and, perhaps most famously, the enduring mystery of her disappearance in 1937.



But five years before she vanished, Earhart landed in a small Northern Irish pasture and broke another aviation record - she was the first woman to fly solo and non-stop across the Atlantic. She had set off from Newfoundland in Canada and when she arrived in Ireland a farmhand asked her if she had flown far - she replied "from America."



She had originally intended to land in Paris but mechanical problems forced her to undertake an Irish detour. This record netted her several awards, including one from President Herbert Hoover, and contributed to her lasting fame which continues to this day.

Photo Info

Photographer: Unknown

Date taken: May 21, 1932

Location taken: Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Source: National Library of Ireland

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Amelia Earhart leaves Newfoundland on her journey to become the 1st woman to fly solo and nonstop across the Atlantic

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