Polar Flight: When the Airship Conquest of the North Pole Came to Seattle

The first verified human visit to the North Pole wasn’t by ship, or by foot or dog sled. It was by airship. In the spring of 1926, Roald Amundsen, Lincoln Ellsworth, and Umberto Nobile used Nobile’s semi-rigid dirigible, Amundsen’s polar exploration experience and Ellsworth’s finances and enthusiasm to make the landmark journey.
Aboard the dirigible Norge, the crew departed Europe flew over the North Pole, continuing south to Alaska. Their return journey brought them through Seattle, where they were greeted as heroes with two days of celebrations.
Join historian Dan Kerlee to learn about this fantastic voyage and its legacy in Seattle.
About the Presenter
A member of the Pacific Northwest Historians Guild, Seattle-born Dan Kerlee has been researching, writing, and speaking about Washington's history for over forty-five years. Dan brings his background in music performance, software engineering, antique photography, Northwest history and love of our natural spaces together to help reveal intricate stories of our past, with the hope that they can help direct our future.
Event Details
Date: Thursday, July 2, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
This event occurs during July's Free First Thursday where admission is free from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM.