In honor of International Women’s Day, the National Historic Vehicle Register announced that it would be adding a vehicle to its collection that once belonged to one of history’s most famous pilots: Amelia Earhart.
The first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean and a supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment, Earhart’s legend was cemented by her ill-fated attempt to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe.
She, navigator Fred Noonan, and her famous Lockheed 10E Electra tragically disappeared over the South Pacific during that record attempt in 1937, and she was declared dead in 1939. One of that last photos ever taken of her, and certainly one of the most famous, featured not just her airplane, but her 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton.
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Like its first owner, the car was once thought lost. Sold by Earhart’s husband shortly after her disappearance, the car passed through many hands over the years, and was unfortunately disassembled and parted out over the years.
In 2004, after years of effort, collector Ray Foster managed to find the car’s body, its frame, and its engine, among other components. In 2018, the car was sold to its current owner, the JBS Collection, which commissioned LaVine Restorations, Inc. to return the car to its original condition.
The recipient of numerous awards, the car was present, appropriately enough, at The Amelia this year, where Hagerty CEO McKeel Hagerty announced that it would be joining the National Historic Vehicle Register, a federally recognized program that seeks to document the historical and cultural significance of the automobile.
“Highlighting the story of Amelia Earhart and her passion for the automobile is a unique glimpse into the varied and widespread love of cars that has captivated our society since the turn of the 20th century,” said Casey Maxon of the Hagerty Drivers Foundation. “We are thrilled to honor this American hero and advocate for women’s rights during Women’s History Month.”
Only the 33rd vehicle added to the register, Earhart’s Cord 812 Phaeton is one of just two vehicles that will be added this year – the second of which has not yet been announced. Both cars will be on display this September on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
