January 11 Marks 88th Anniversary of Amelia Earhart's Hawaii to California Trip

Aeronautical pioneer Amelia Earhart made her infamous Hawaiian journey 88 years ago, making herself a cool $10,000 in prize money and earning a spot in aviation history. 

The journey from the mainland US to the islands had come to be seen as fraught with danger after amounting 10 fatalities between a series of attempts. At the time, Hawaiian promoters and sugar barons were eagerly awaiting the forecasted influx of tourist money that air travel would surely bring, leading to their offer of some serious prize money for 1935 - more than $215,000 in today's scrip. 

Since then, her story has gone on to influence generations of female aviators looking to the foundations of the industry for inspiration. Earhart's namesake charity, the Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation, marked the 88th anniversary of her flight with the announcement of a museum bearing her name. The Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum in Atchison, Kansas will be an interactive, STEM-focused educational tour of her life, opening next April. 

“It has been a great adventure to build this state-of-the-art museum worthy of Amelia Earhart’s legacy in her Atchison, Kansas, hometown,” said Karen Seaberg, founder and president of the Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation. “We look forward to celebrating the grand opening on April 14 when the new Museum will bring Amelia’s extraordinary story to life while inspiring visitors to boldly pursue their own dreams.”

“As the hometown to the one of the world’s most admired women, the City of Atchison is proudly looking forward to the grand opening of the new Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum that will become a popular destination — particularly for families, tourists, educators, students and aviators,” said Atchison Mayor Lisa Moody. “With the Museum’s unique location at the Amelia Earhart Memorial Airport, we look forward to welcoming visitors to Atchison from across the Midwest, the U.S and around the world.”

FMI: www.ameliaearharthangarmuseum.org