Transcripts

WILLIAM WILCOXEN: Alice Pantzke has vivid memories of the purchase of the first milking machine on the family farm of her youth about 14 miles from Little Falls. But she particularly remembers the young gentleman who sold that machine to the family, his weekly visits to see that it was operating properly, and the one cold November evening when he paused in the farmhouse to warm himself before the return trip.

ALICE PANTZKE: I said, mom, I said, are you baking bread tonight? And she said, yes. And I said, can I cut off a piece and fry some bread for Charlie Lindbergh? Oh, he just loved that. He said it was the best thing he'd had all day. He stayed for about a half an hour and out he went and whipped them ponies, and we went to Little Falls.

WILLIAM WILCOXEN: Such vignettes were the order of the day among those who spent Mother's Day at the Lindbergh Interpretive Center, which stands near the farmhouse where Lindbergh spent most of his youth. Chuck Stone manages the center for the Minnesota Historical Society and has coordinated the 60th anniversary exhibit and program called "Minnesota Celebrates Lindbergh." He says he's heard countless stories from people who can relate in detail what they were doing when Lindbergh took off or landed.

CHARLES STONE: Somehow these people relate the events of their own lives to the events in Lindbergh's life. And I think it's the feeling of respect that people have developed for both Charles and Anne Lindbergh. And they somehow gain a sense of psychological reinforcement by intertwining the events in their own lives with the events in Lindbergh's life.

WILLIAM WILCOXEN: The actual anniversary of Lindbergh's historic flight is May 20 and 21. And more commemorative activities are planned in Little Falls in June and in August. Publicity Chairperson [? Leanne ?] [? Doucette ?] says the town has responded enthusiastically to the anniversary celebration.

[? LEANNE DOUCETTE: ?] The people have rallied around every organization in town, whether it's two people or a hundred people-- want to be involved in some way. And if you're a committee chairperson and you're feeling bogged down, all you have to do is say, hey, I need help, and there's a whole group of people there to help you. And I think eventually the people that are not involved are going to start picking up on the excitement. Today is just a start.

WILLIAM WILCOXEN: The anniversary is also being celebrated in Paris, where a statue of Lindbergh will be placed at the airstrip on which his 1927 flight concluded. In addition, a set of three Lindbergh portraits by Little Falls artist Chuck Kapsner has been sent to Paris for permanent display. I'm William Wilcoxen.