Clark County Historical Museum Speaker Series: Chkalov’s Transpolar Flight

Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, will launch its 2023 Speaker Series at 7 p.m. Feb. 2 with Columbia River High student Luke Hildreth’s in-person presentation, “Chkalov’s Transpolar flight to Vancouver: Exploring its significance in both the Soviet Union and America.” Doors open at 5 p.m. Admission is $5. Seniors and students are $4. Children under 18 are $3. The evening is free for museum members, veterans and active-duty military personnel. For details, contact the museum at 360-993-5679 or outreach@cchmuseum.org.

Chkalov was a Soviet Ppilot who, when attempting to fly from Moscow to Oakland, had to emergency land at Pearson Airfield in 1937. Hildreth will explore the question, “How significant was Chkalov’s flight to Vancouver and what was its significance on politics, culture and aviation in both the Soviet Union and America?”