GoHawking

I was in the hospital for a week. He was well cared for by a neighbor. He was just worried about me. That's why he's my little buddy.

Some home videos of my father and his family from 1923. Home movies that are almost 100 years old. Filmed by Orin Spencer Welch...my granddad on 35 mm nitrate film.

This is a promotional movie/video of Muscle Shoals Alabama from 1927. My grandfather Orin Spencer Welch was the cameraman for this. He was living in Muscle Shoals at the time documenting Wilson Dam and soil erosion for the government. This was transferred from some very dangerous very flammable and volatile 35mm nitrate film by the University of South Carolina. Now let me take you behind the scenes in some of this video. Charles Lindburg flew the Spirit of St. Louis while barnstorming the USA after his historic Atlantic crossing to Muscle Shoals. It was my grandfathers' job to go and film this. My daddy was still a little kid, and my grandfather took my dad with him to film it. Well us Welch's aren't afraid to ask for an opportunity. I inherited many of my granddads' traits. So because my GF had a press pass, he was able to meet and talk to Lindy. He explained his primary job is to film things to document and promote Muscle Shoals. He asked Lindy if there was any chance that he could go up in a plane and get some aerial footage. Lindy said that when he left Muscle Shoals he was going to Birmingham and that if he could get a ride home from there that yes he would take him up and get some footage. So in this video, the aerial shots are from the window of the Spirit of St. Louis flown by Lindy himself. My GF was behind the seat where a fuel tank was during the crossing but since removed. A small stow away was my very young father. As far as we have been able to find out, this is the only footage ever filmed from inside the Spirit of St. Louis. Just a little family history that I am very proud of.