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Schipske says in the caption that, “Daugherty recognized thepotential of aviation as a commercial venture for providing shortflights, giving exhibitions, carrying passengers and freight, andtaking aerial photographs for mapping and surveying. Fliers‘knew more landing fields’ was ‘the biggest problem in aviation.’”It was Daugherty who came to Long Beach from Des Moines,Iowa, and leased some land in 1919 and later convinced the CityCouncil to establish a municipal airport, which would be namedafter him. Long Beach was the first city in Southern California toestablish a municipal airport on 80 acres of water departmentland on Cherry Avenue and Spring Street, as shown in a photo onpage 73 in Chapter Six, titled “The Long Beach Municipal Airport”.later returned and publically lauded the city for its state-of-the-artfeatures, such as paved runways and night lighting. Schipske alsosays that newspapers reported that Lindbergh returned severaltimes and stayed at the Breakers Hotel on Ocean Boulevard.The stories of women in Long Beach aviation are featured inChapter Nine. One is of Gladys O’Donnell, a charter member ofthe first organization of women pilots called the Ninety-Nines. TheNinety-Nines signified the number of women who organized thegroup. There is also a photo of Daugherty’s widow Kay Daugherty.Her husband taught her how to fly, and she went on to serve as afirst lieutenant and executive of the Civil Air Patrol Squadron (alsopictured), and helped form a cadet training program in the city.But one of my favorite photos and story is of legendary aviatorCharles Lindbergh from 1928 on page 88. Schipske says that afterlights were installed, “Lindbergh made an emergency landingafter midnight with passenger Colonel Henry Breckenridge. ALong Beach resident heard a plane flying over the field andmade a telephone call to the airport, which resulted in a lightbeing turned on, allowing Lindbergh to see the field and land.”This is just a small sampling of the great photos, captions andstories in Early Aviation in Long Beach. I strongly encourageanyone who has an interest in the history of Long Beach and itsgreat aviation heritage to buy this book and read more. nEarly Aviation in Long BeachArcadia Publishing, 128 pp$21The caption goes on to say that Lindbergh was so grateful hed SANTANAARCHITECTURE3553 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 148Long Beach, CA 90807562.896.2837 studio562.427.1392 faxlongbeachmagazine.com 51