Byrd's Flight to the South Pole: Little America - Ohio State University Libraries

Little America

Tent camp at Little America, 1928,
Richard E. Byrd Papers, #7801_3

The City of New York,
unloading at the Bay of Whales, 1928,
Richard E. Byrd Papers, #7820_10

Days of laborious unloading supplies and building shelters followed the Expedition’s arrival in Antarctica, resulting in a complete village that Byrd named “Little America.” Aside from an administration building and bunk house, the complex included three radio antenna towers, a mess hall, hangers for the airplanes, storage sheds and a machine shop that contained the first generator of electricity in Antarctica.

The three radio towers at Little America, 1929, Richard E. Byrd Papers, #7801_15.	Little America in the making, 1928, Richard E. Byrd Papers, #7802_2.
The Mess Hall, with the Norwegian House in the rear, under construction. These houses were soon covered with snow. 1928, Richard E. Byrd Papers, #7803_2	The food boxes were lined up to form tunnels, and eventually would be completely covered by snow, Little America, 1928, Richard E. Byrd Papers, #7788_2.
The colors of the United States in Antarctica, 1928, Richard E. Byrd Papers, #7810_32	Holiday Card with inscription by Gustav Brown, captain of the S.S. Eleanor Bolling, 1929. Richard E. Byrd Papers, #4457
Paper cup, Byrd Antarctic Expedition to the South Pole, 1928. Byrd Miscellany, Accession #200010. The supplies needed for the expedition were extensive, and included not only the big things such as planes and food, but the mundane daily items such as this cup. Many manufacturers donated supplies to the expedition in exchange for publicity.	Hooded fur parka and boots, ca. 1920s. Byrd Miscellany, Accession #20007. Although the provenance of these items is not documented, the donor believed that these belonged to Richard E. Byrd

The Ohio State University

www.osu.edu