Not many know that America’s famous female aviator had a strong Iowa connection. Moving with her family to Des Moines in 1907, it was at the Iowa State Fair where Amelia Earhart had her first encounter with an aeroplane. Records indicate that in 1911, the Wright Brothers brought a biplane to the fair, and according to Amelia, her first response was less than enthusiastic. That all changed, of course, and on March 31, 1936 – fifteen months prior to her untimely death – the world-renowned aviatrix came to Iowa City – speaking to a sellout crowd at the SUI Memorial Union.
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