Nebo in Pike County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The First U.S. Transcontinental Flight

Photographed by Emily Pursley, December 30, 2018

1. The First U.S. Transcontinental Flight Marker

Inscription.
Calbraith “Cal” Rodgers, the first man to fly across the United States, landed near this spot on Oct. 10, 1911. The flight took 49 days. Nebo was one of 68 recorded landing sites.

Rodgers’ aircraft was a Wright EX biplane named the “Vin Fiz” after a popular soft drink of the day. During the flight which followed the railroad coast to coast, Rodgers was accompanied by a special train with mechanics and spare parts, (and his wife).

The appearance of the “Vin Fiz”, the first airplane that most people had ever seen brought great excitement to the village of Nebo, Illinois that October morning, 1911.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Air & Space. A significant historical date for this entry is October 10, 1911.

Location. 39° 26.583′ N, 90° 46.867′ W. Marker is in Nebo, Illinois, in Pike County. It is at the intersection of Pittsfield Road and Vin Fiz Road, on the left when traveling south on Pittsfield Road. Near the corner/crossroads, on the bank of the cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Nebo IL 62355, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is

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in the Illinois River Valley.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Veterans Victory Park (approx. half a mile away); Pleasant Hill Area Veteran Memorial Flag Pole (approx. 4.6 miles away); Site of First Building in Pleasant Hill (approx. 4.9 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 5.1 miles away); Great Flood of 73 Volunteer Flood Fighters (approx. 8.2 miles away in Missouri); Eagle Days (approx. 8.2 miles away in Missouri); Living with Floods (approx. 8.2 miles away in Missouri); a different marker also named Veterans Memorial (approx. 8.3 miles away in Missouri).

<i>Cal Rodgers in Vin Fiz Flyer</i> image. Click for full size.

Photo courtesy of the Marfa Public Library / The Portal to Texas History, October 1911

2. Cal Rodgers in Vin Fiz Flyer

The Wright EX Vin Fiz image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, January 9, 2016

3. The Wright EX Vin Fiz

In the Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC; Transferred from the U.S. War Department

“The Wright EX was a single-seat airplane for exhibition flying manufactured and sold by the Wright brothers. The Vin Fiz was rebuilt so many times during its historic cross-country flight that almost every part was replaced along the way.”

Credits. This page was last revised on January 14, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 14, 2019, by Emily Pursley of Pittsfield, Illinois. This page has been viewed 1,302 times since then and 49 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on January 14, 2019, by Emily Pursley of Pittsfield, Illinois. 2. submitted on January 15, 2019. 3. submitted on January 17, 2019, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.