In 1936, Iris Louise McPhetridge Thaden won the Bendix Trophy Race in the first year women were allowed to compete against men. She set a new world record of 14 hours, 55 minutes from New York City to Los Angeles, California. In that victory, she flew a Beech C17R Staggerwing biplane and defeated twin-engine planes specifically designed for racing. Bentonville Airport is named after her, as well as the new Thaden Independent School, and her legacy is essential to the spirit of Bentonville.