This Month in St. Louis History

Lindbergh's Paris flight was a race

Charles Lindbergh's solo flight across the Atlantic in 1927 in his "Spirit of St. Louis" airplane was actually a race. The man who finished second was a millionaire who not only lost the race but his fortune, family and fame.

That story of Charles A. Levine's race with Lindbergh is one of the events that happened in Februarys past. These and others have shaped the colorful history of St. Louis and Missouri.

Another past event in February was President Lyndon Johnson's trip to St. Louis in 1964 to name Stan Musial a consultant on the nation's physical fitness. Also in February, 1891, the Women's Homoeopathic Hospital of St. Louis was incorporated.

In 1906, the St. Louis Society of the Archeological Institute of American was founded.

To help kids learn more about the area's history, the Missouri History Museum is cooperating with Young Saint Louis.com. Each month, the museum compiles information on historical events for publication in YSL.com.

If you'd like to learn even more, visit the museum's website, www.mohistory.org.

Lindbergh vs. Levine

Charles A. Lindbergh

Most Missourians remember Charles A. Lindbergh's history-making flight from New York to Paris as being a solo flight. Actually, it was a race with a $25,000 first prize.

Few remember the plane Lindbergh flew wasn't his first choice. And virtually no one remembers who finished second.

In February, 1927, Lindbergh offered millionaire Charles A. Levine $15,000 to buy his WB-2 airplane, which had a new Whirlwind J-5 radial engine. The WB-2 had won efficiency prizes at the 1926 National Air Races.

Charles A. Levine (rt.) and his pilot Clarence Chamberlin

Levine said he'd sell the plane but reserved the right to pick the flight crew of the proposed New York to Paris flight. The first pilot to make that flight would win a $25,000 prize offered by hotel owner Raymond Orteig.

Lindbergh turned to Ryan Airlines, a San Diego aircraft maker, to build the "Spirit of St. Louis" around a Wright J-5C nine-cylinder engine.

When Lindbergh arrived in New York on May 19, 1927, he found both Levine and polar explorer Richard Byrd also were seeking the Orteig prize.

But, Levine was tied up in court by a pilot who sued after being fired by Levine. Byrd's plane, a Fokker tri-motor called "America," was still being outfitted for the flight.

Lindbergh saw his chance, gambled on the weather and took off for Paris. He landed 33 hours later.

Levine's plane, named "Columbia," took off June 4 with Clarence Chamberlain as pilot and Levine as a passenger. Levine vowed to outdo Lindbergh by flying non-stop from New York past Paris and on to Berlin.

His plane ran out of gas after 43 hours and 40 miles short of Berlin. They arrived the next day at Tempelhof Airport to almost as large a crowd as met Lindbergh in Paris.

But, Lindbergh was first and to him went all the long-term fame.

What Levine got was financial ruin in the stock market crash of 1929. And things went further downhill from there. He ended up serving jail time for a variety of illegal acts, including attempted import of tungsten ore.

Levine died virtually unknown in 1991 at the age of 94.

For more on Levine, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Albert_Levine.

President Johnson and Stan "The Man" Musial

On Feb. 14, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson came to St. Louis to announce a special appointment for famed St. Louis Cardinal outfielder Stan "The Man" Musial. He was named a special consultant to the President on the nation's physical fitness.

Stan "The Man" Musial

The announcement was made during a speech at St. Louis University. And it came at a time when America was becoming very much aware of the athletic accomplishments of Russia and other Communist countries.

Johnson said he was sure Stan Musial's standing as one of the country's best athletes would help him encourage young people to be more active. He said, "I'm proud to have Stan Musial take charge of this important aspect of our nation's work."

For all of Johnson's remarks, visit www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/print.php?pid=26074.

For more, visit www.stan-the-man.com/hall.of.famer.stan.musial.biography.htm

Women's Homeopathic Hospital of St. Louis

St. Louis and Missouri have had a long history in the field of homeopathic medicine.

Homeopathic medicine has been a controversial form of healing since its beginnings in the early 1800s. It called for treating diseases with drugs that actually caused symptoms of the disease in healthy people.

A homeopathic doctor then used small doses of the drugs to treat people who actually had the disease. A basis of homeopathic medicine is to stimulate the body's natural defenses against disease.

The heyday of homeopathic medicine came about the same time Edward Jenner found a way to immunize children against smallpox. He injected small doses of cowpox into humans. The toxin stimulated the body to develop immunity against smallpox.

This development was in stark contrast to orthodox medical practices of that time that included using leeches to take blood from ill patients.

Missouri had a large number of homeopathic doctors in its early years. That showed the willingness of Missourians to embrace different approaches to health care.

One example would be the incorporation of the Women's Homeopathic Hospital of St. Louis on Feb. 12, 1891. It was established to give bedside and clinical instruction for women homeopathic physicians in the city.

Archaeological Institute of America

St. Louis and Missouri also had a long interest in the world archaeological history.

The St. Louis Society of Archaeological Institute of America was formed on Feb. 8, 1906. That was the same year that Congress issued a charter to the national organization.

The society was founded to encourage studies by Americans archeologists of the world's cultural history. Prior to that, European archaeologists did most of the studies of world cultural history.

For more, visit www.archaeological.org/webinfo.php?page=10028 and also http://users.stlcc.edu/mfuller/aia/.