Punchboard, Lindbergh, King Collection

A rectangular board with 100 small green holes. Each hole contains a piece of paper with a city written on it. A small metal pin is taped to the back of the board and is used to punch the paper out of the holes. An image of a bi-plane with multiple windows and a man with luggage walking towards the plane is located above the holes.

On May 20-21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh literally flew into history when he crossed the Atlantic Ocean in his Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis, thus becoming the first pilot to fly solo and nonstop from New York to Paris. This flight made Lindbergh a household name and catapulted him into fame and celebrity. The objects of popular culture in the National Collection display everything from ashtrays to wristwatches reflect the public adulation for Lindbergh and the powerful commercial response to his celebrity. More than 75 years after the Spirit's historic flight, Lindbergh's name still has the power help sell manufactured goods.