Research Visit: National Archives and Smithsonian

Probably my favorite part of being a writer is researching.  I love digging into newspapers, books and magazines from the past.  There's nothing better than a research visit.  Most of the time, my research takes place at a local museum or library, but every once in a while I get the chance to do something fantastic.  For example, earlier this year, I had the opportunity to visit the National Archives for the first time.  If you've never been there, you really need to.  I was amazed at the facility.  I had thought I was going to be going to a building in Washington, D.C. but instead I ended up in one of the other 'campuses' in Virginia where many of the resources are housed. 

Before I could even get into the archives, I had to apply for a research card.  After receiving my card and agreeing to not take anything in or out of the archives, I entered the main lobby and began the process of submitting my research request.  I was there to view a film from 1947 of Orville Wright flying in a C-69 Constellation.  I filled out my request and was ushered up to the third floor.  Before I could do that, however,

I had to go into the locker room where I was to leave everything.  In order to get into the archives, every item you carry on your person has to identified, tagged and noted.  After submitting my request, I headed up to the  floor where my film would be delivered.  The gentleman in charge of the films thankfully helped me load the film in the viewing bay; I would have had no idea how to do so.  I donned my white gloves and sat down. 

I had read the details of the film, but sitting down and getting to view the actual film of the event I was writing about was magical.  The film began running through the projector and I watched as the black and white images flickered across the screen.  It took so much effort to get here, get into the archives and to this room and it was 'over' in less than five minutes.

  I rewound the film and watched it again and again.  Because the film had not been digitally converted, they allowed me to make a 'copy' of the film with my camera.  I set up my tripod and recorded. Here is my copy of the film:

 
Orville Wright's Final Flight from Todd Burleson on Vimeo.

And that was that.  I left the archives and headed toward Washington, D.C.  I had seen the Wright Brother's Wright Flyer before, but when you are this close, you gotta go see it again.  I headed toward the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in D.C. 

Nothing really compares to seeing the real deal.  The Flyer is a beautiful machine.   I was amazed that this fragile craft, made of spruce and cotton, had carried the brothers on that windy beach in Kitty Hawk, N.C. over one hundred years ago.