carl ben eielson memorial arch

Small town with great museum dedicated to it's hometown boy made good. Carl Ben Eielson. He was one of the first to fly the arctc

Carl Ben Eielson was an aviation pioneer who spent most of his life in Alaska. Eielson is essentially the person who expanded aviation across that state, long before it was a state. In Alaska, Carl Ben is a well-known name with many schools and public places named after him. Interestingly, upon his death, he was returned to his native state of North Dakota where he was buried near Hatton. Before visiting this place, which is a fairly simple memorial to him, you might want to review his rich aviation contributions to truly appreciate what you're looking at. The town has a small museum showing where he lived and such. A poignant tribute to a great man.

The memorial to aviation hero Carl Ben Eielson, who hailed from Hatton, North Dakota, is located a mile north of town on Hwy 18. Look for St. John's Cemetery on the west side of the road, and the big archway over the entrance is the Eielson memorial. Eielson and other family members are buried straight ahead just inside the arch. The arch has copper panels that tell about Eielson's life, his accomplishments, and his tragic death in 1929. Construction of the memorial was supported by contributions from schoolchildren across the state. The arch itself is one of the most interesting memorial structures in the region, quite grand for North Dakota! Definitely worth the stop if you're driving through the area.