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Bring your lunch and learn! This month Dr. Nathan Tye will be presenting "The Stratospheric Rise and Explosive Fall of the Explorer I Balloon Outside Loomis, Nebraska, 1914."On July 28, 1934, Americans were fixed to their radios following the Explorer expedition as it attempted to reach the stratosphere in a state-of-the-art balloon. Sponsored by the Army Air Corps and the National Geographic Society, the expedition hoped to prove humans could survive in the upper reaches of the atmosphere, demonstrating the future feasibility of space travel. When the balloon tore and exploded, the three-man-crew leapt to safety 5,000 feet above Loomis, Nebraska. Dr. Tye explores this overlooked aviation milestone at its centennial and Explorer’s place within in aviation and space race history.
Dr. Nathan Tye, is the Assistant Professor of Nebraska and American West History, where he has taught since 2019. He received his PhD from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his research focuses on lives of migrant laborers, better known as hobos, and their efforts to survive on society’s margins. Dr. Tye serves on the boards of several local community museums and cultural organizations. His research is published in "Nebraska History," "Annals of Iowa," "The Willa Cather Review," and has appeared on NBC’s celebrity genealogy program, "Who Do You Think You Are?"
These free programs are a partnership of the University of Nebraska at Kearney's History Department and the Kearney Public Library. #HistoryRemembered
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Kearney Public Library, 2020 1st Ave,Kearney,NE,United States
