Airmail Beacons in Southern Wisconsin Fields With Michael John Jaeger, Outreach Volunteer

McIntosh Memorial Library is proud to host a special historical presentation, "Airmail Beacons in Southern Wisconsin Fields," on Friday, June 27, 2025, at 10:00 AM in the library lobby. The talk will be led by Michael John Jaeger, Outreach Volunteer at the Kelch Aviation Museum and former pilot.
In this engaging presentation, Jaeger explores the little-known story of how rural beacon towers—like the one still standing at Brodhead Airport—helped guide early airmail pilots across the country in the 1920s and 30s. These towers played a pivotal role in the development of modern navigation and air travel, particularly in rural areas like southern Wisconsin. One beacon tower was located about 5 miles from Viroqua
Through vivid storytelling and historical insight, Jaeger will explain how this early aviation infrastructure shaped not only the course of flight, but also the lives of the people and towns it connected.
Event Details:
📅 Date: Friday, June 27, 2025
🕙 Time: 10:00 AM
📍 Location: McIntosh Memorial Library Lobby, 205 South Rock Avenue, Viroqua, WI
🎟️ Admission: Free and open to the public
Join us to uncover how forgotten technology once lit the skies—and helped shape the world we know today