I got your message and picture, and will say that I didnąt have any idea about who might have visited the flight at Pierre. I never heard my folks say anything about it, so it must have been Morris and Henrietta. I can remember listing to the radio when the flight to Paris was on, and we were doing business in the old store building at the north end of the main street in Ree Heights at the time. I think we had just moved the Implement business to that store.

The airport at Pierre at that time was about two miles north of Pierre, on the east side of highway 14, which used to go north several miles as you left Pierre. A rather large hill to the north of the airport with a monument on it. Now highway 1804. Just a large rather level field of grass with no buildings. The barrels in the lower right corner were the barrels that we bought aviation gas from Standard Oil, who kept some in stock in every dealership in those type of barrels.

I never saw this airplane except in the museum. But Rapid Air Lines did have two of them, and I have cranked and poured gas into them. As I remember them, they were among the first with brakes and the main landing gear was rather far forward. With small tail surfaces, and short control horns it took a healthy push to get the tail up with 4 passengers. The fellows that flew them got a good work out when barnstorming with them.

I would have no idea if anyone remembers that time. I am 92 and have lost most of my old pals.

Additionally, I recently attended a family wedding in Salem OR and stayed with my mother's older brother Jim, 86, who would have been 10 at the time of the Guggenheim tour. He had no recollection of it, but it would have been his older brothers, now gone, who might have accompanied his parents. Ree Heights was only about 80 miles drive to Pierre, and I'm sure they wouldn't have missed seeing Lindbergh for anything!

So, I am positive that this picture is of the Guggenheim stop at Pierre SD, and the woman in the foreground is my grandmother, Henrietta Paine. I don't know if Morris took the picture, or if another uncle might have been along and Morris could even be one of the men in the background. I wonder if the fellow on top of the plane might be Lindbergh himself? I would be most interested in any speculation any viewers might have.

I would be most honored to have this picture added to the website.

Thanks again for a really neat website, and don't hesitate to ask any questions you may have for me.

Kindest regards,

Bob

By Bob Lodge Wenatchee WA

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