PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Local history buffs can learn about Presque Isle’s ballooning history in a special event presented by The Aroostook Medical Center and the Presque Isle Historical Society.
On Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015, the public is invited to join presenter Kimberly Smith, historical society secretary and treasurer, at TAMC’s McCain Conference Room at 5:30 p.m. to hear about Double Eagle II.
Double Eagle II, which lifted off from from the Star City, was the first successful transatlantic hot air balloon flight.
“This 1978 flight put Presque Isle on the international map,” said Smith. “The DEII held the distance record for a hot air balloon flight for 37 years until January of this year. It was the 14th attempt but the first successful.”
Smith will share why pilots chose Presque Isle for a liftoff site, and will discuss the challenges they faced on their historic six-day flight across the ocean to Miserey, France. Smith will also talk about how Double Eagle II got its name.
Anyone interested in local history or hot air ballooning is encouraged to attend the free program.
“Presque Isle, for a small rural community, has many direct ties to national and international history. This is one of those important ties. With this event, Presque Isle made the cover of Time, Sports Illustrated, and Reader’s Digest to name a few.”
The last quarterly presentation of 2015 will take place Dec. 2 with a special screening of the film, “In the Blood,” which documents the daily lives of early Maine lumbermen.
