On October 9, 1911, the Vin Fiz Flyer landed in Streator as part of the first transcontinental flight across the United States. A large crowd gathered at the race track, presently Anderson Fields Golf Course, to witness the arrival, while hundreds watched from their homes and school children were allowed out of class to cheer as the aircraft flew over. The pilot, Calbraith "Cal" Perry Rodgers, had purchased a Wright Brothers Model Ex Pusher Biplane to attempt the journey from Sheepshead Bay, New York, to Long Beach, California, with only 90 minutes of training by the Wright Brothers, and after numerous crashes he finally completed the trip.