On this then-private pasture dotted with Sioux Effigies, Colonel Charles Lindbergh landed his Ryan monoplane, The Spirit of Saint Louis, on September 1st 1927 at exactly 4 pm. On May 21st he had become the first person to fly solo and nonstop from New York to Paris, in a plane with no radio, literally no forward visibility, and only minimal navigation equipment. His tour aimed to visit all the state capitals, stimulate interest in commercial aviation, and demonstrate the safety and punctuality of flight. After circling and maneuvering over Fort Pierre, Pierre, and the landing field, he landed to a crowd of 3800 that included Governor Bulow and Mayor Hipple. American Legionnaires led by Commander Charles H. Burke had prepared and secured the site, and those present included 700 cars, 18 from out of state, and representatives from 39 South Dakota counties. In an open car, Lindbergh led a long procession through the streets of Pierre to the Saint Charles hotel, where special guests spent the night. After a supper reception at Mayor Hipple's home, the American Legion Scotch band led the dignitaries to the Capitol steps, where Mayor Hipple spoke briefly and Governor Bullow predicted that someday some man would leave the earth, journey to the moon, and return to tell of it. Before a cheering crowd of 5000, Lindbergh briefly explained that his trip foreshadowed a near future when people of Pierre could leave the Pierre airport and reach the east or west coast on the same day, and he said Pierre was especially fortunate to have a natural landing field and that all cities should develop airports. After appearing at a dance in the City Auditorium, he returned to the Saint Charles for the night. Though he planned to leave at 9 the next morning, he was delayed by the need to prime the plane's oil pump, and at 9:30 he finally took off for Cheyenne, Wyoming. The site, later purchased by the city, served as Pierre's airport for the next 12 years.