Douglas Park in Long Beach in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

First Around the World Globe

Photographed by Kevin W., March 13, 2024

1. First Around the World Globe Marker

Inscription. On March 17, 1924, four Douglas World Cruisers (DWCs) left Santa Monica, CA for Seattle, WA where Boeing exchanged the planes' wheels for pontoon floats. April 6, the Chicago, New Orleans, Boston and Seattle took off. April 30, the Seattle crashed on an Alaskan mountainside. The two-man crew survived and reached Dutch Harbor after 10 days. The other DWCs continued with the help of 15 extra engines, 14 extra sets of floats and duplicates of all airframe parts, distributed at various sites around the world. On June 26, 1924, they reached Calcutta, India, where the floats were replaced with wheels, Then on July 30, the DWCs departed the Orkney Islands in Scotland as seaplanes. August 3, the Boston made a forced landing in the mid-Atlantic. The prototyped DWC, re-named Boston II, joined the group so the crew could complete the mission. As landplanes, the remaining three DWCs returned to Seattle, WA on Sept. 28, 1924.

They logged 27,553 miles in six months and six days, with an actual flying time of 371 hours. They touched down in 28 countries and crossed the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The flight was the greatest feat in

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aviation up to that time and earned Douglas Aircraft its motto, "First Around the World".

Erected 2007 by City of Long Beach.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Exploration • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical date for this entry is April 30, 1924.

Location. 33° 49.653′ N, 118° 8.764′ W. Marker is in Long Beach, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Douglas Park. It is at the intersection of Cover Street and Worsham Avenue, on the right when traveling east on Cover Street. Marker is imbedded in a sidewalk at the southwest corner of Cover Street and Worsham Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4130 Cover Street, Long Beach CA 90808, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los Angeles

and in the Transverse Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Photographed by Kevin W., March 13, 2024

2. First Around the World Globe Marker

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Worsham Avenue (within shouting distance of this marker); Cover Street (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named First Around the World Globe (within shouting distance of this marker); Douglas Park (within shouting distance of this marker); Tribute to Women of World War II Military Aircraft Production (approx. 0.2 miles away); October 17, 1941 (approx. 0.2 miles away); Seven Decades of Aircraft Production (approx. 0.2 miles away); DC-8 Family (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Long Beach.

Also see . . . Around the World in the Douglas World Cruiser. Museum of Flying website. (Submitted on March 27, 2024, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)

First Around the World Globe image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kevin W., March 12, 2024

3. First Around the World Globe

First Around the World Globe Aircraft image. Click for more information.

Photographed by Kevin W.

4. First Around the World Globe Aircraft

Before making the last hop from Clover Field (modern day Santa Monica Airport), CA, Lieutenant Harding (on top of plane) and pilot Lieutenant Nelson (examining the engine) check the New Orleans.
Click for more information.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 19, 2024. It was originally submitted on March 27, 2024, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 251 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 27, 2024, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. 4. submitted on July 19, 2024, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.