The Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame and La Crosse County Historical Society will present "The Airplane Comes to La Crosse" on Sunday afternoon, October 30 at 2:00 p.m. (the Packers are idle!)  in the main auditorium of the La Crosse Public Library, 8th and Main Streets.

Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame board member Frederick Beseler will present a slide show detailing the flight of pioneer aviator Hugh Robinson. In October, 1911,  Robinson took off from Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis on a quest to fly down the Mississippi River to New Orleans to collect a $20,000 prize. Along the way, Robinson stopped in La Crosse—believed to be the first time a powered aircraft visited the city. Robinson was a close associate and demonstration pilot for famous motorcycle racer and airplane designer Glenn Curtiss. Beseler's presentation will also describe Curtiss' and Robinson's many aviation accomplishments and the state of aviation technology in 1911.

2011 marks the centennial anniversary of powered flight for many Wisconsin cities such as Wausau, Sheboygan, Antigo, Green Bay, Eau Claire and La Crosse. The Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame is sponsoring a number of talks and presentations this year at these cities to commemorate 100 years of powered flight in Wisconsin and to raise awareness of the importance that aviation plays in today's economy.

The October 30 event is free and open to the public.