Bettis: Where Pittsburgh Aviation Took Off Book Talk

Tue, 28 Oct, 2025 at 06:00 pm UTC-04:00

2525 Rochester Rd, Ste 300, Cranberry Township, Butler County, PA, United States, Pennsylvania 16066 | Cranberry Twp

Cranberry Public Library
Publisher/HostCranberry Public Library
Bettis: Where Pittsburgh Aviation Took Off Book Talk
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Bettis Field may no longer be a familiar name but it was once the epicenter of Pittsburgh aviation. The story of this 1920s airport captures the exciting, early years of flying, from barnstorming to commercial and passenger flight to Bettis’s role in delivering airmail. A cast of daring, larger-than-life characters, both men and women, made Bettis the place to be.​
Come along as we join thousands to greet Charles Lindbergh, witness a pilot crash into a steel mill while trying to cure a passenger’s deafness, watch the national balloon races turn to tragedy, and see a nuclear lab take over Bettis—only to have pilots keep landing on its roadways. It’s a fun, fascinating look at the dawn of aviation in Pittsburgh.
About the Authors
Brian Butko is the head of Publications at Heinz History Center. He has been researching and writing about popular history since the 1980s: diners, roadside attractions, Isaly's dairy and its Klondike bar, the Lincoln Highway, and Kennywood Park. Learn more about Brian on his website at https://www.brianbutko.com/
Sue Morris is a regional public historian who writes about Pittsburgh history and cultural geography of the 19th and early 20th centuries, with a special focus on stories not otherwise examined. Learn more about Sue on her website at https://historicaldilettante.com/
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

2525 Rochester Rd, Ste 300, Cranberry Township, Butler County, PA, United States, Pennsylvania 16066, 2525 Rochester Rd, Cranberry Twp, PA 16066-6420, United States

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