The Mysteries of History (May 21 Edition)
First Speed Limit for Automobiles; Amelia Earhart Matches Lindbergh
1901 — First Speed Limit
image generated using Google Gemini
On this date in 1901, Connecticut became the first State to pass a law limiting the speed at which motorists could travel. There were only two: 12 in the city, and 15 in the country. Dogs, cats, humans, and horses could outrun the motorcars back then; no longer, though: the speed limit is as high as 85 mph in the U.S. today.
In addition to the top speed limit being a relatively sloth-like 12-15 mph in 1901, drivers had to slow down, or even stop when necessary, when approaching horse-drawn vehicles.
In contrast with people and their domesticated critters, toads can only go 1.56 mph, unless they themselves are the motorist, such as Mr. Toad below.
Questions: What is a “horseless carriage”? Do you know where in the U.S. the speed limit is 85 mph? What do you think the maximum speed limit should be? Have you read Kenneth Grahame’s excellent novel The Wind in the Willows? (for whatever reason, British authors excel at animal stories; to name just a few: Fiction: Watership Down, The Plague Dogs, Black Beauty, The Sheep-Pig [made into the movie Babe], The Story of Dr. Dolittle, The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle [and other Dr. D books], Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass, Animal Farm; Nonfiction: All Creatures Great and Small [series]).
1932 — Amelia Earhart Flies Transatlantic Solo Nonstop
public domain image from wikimedia commons
Five years after Charles Lindbergh did it, Amelia Earhart became the second person to accomplish the feat of flying solo nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean. Her trip differed from Lindbergh’s in that she landed in Ireland rather than France, and did it in less time (15 hours as opposed to 33).
Three years later, in 1935, Earhart was the first to fly solo from Hawaii to California.
Two years after that, in 1937, Amelia attempted a flight around the world, this time with a co-pilot, Frederick Noonan. Their itinerary called for a trip of 29,000 miles. After 22,000 or so miles (three quarters of the way), Earhart and Noonan went missing and have never been found, nor has their aircraft. The last communication from them was that they were lost and low on fuel.
stylized image of Amelia Earhart generated using Bing Image Creator
Questions: Do you think Earhart and Noonan’s plane will ever be found? What could have led to them becoming lost in those pre-GPS days? Have you heard of Louise McPhetridge Thaden (born near my maternal grandmother’s birthplace and time)? Are you familiar with any other aviatrixes from history?
Read about “The Secret Lives of Kids” here.
