Before the Poles: The Boy Traveler Who Became Admiral Richard E. Byrd
Long before Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd, Jr. became one of America’s most celebrated explorers — flying over the North Pole, charting Antarctica, and becoming a symbol of twentieth-century scientific ambition — he was simply a boy with a suitcase and an extraordinary idea.
In the summer of 1902, newspapers across the United States reported with astonishment that a young Virginia boy intended to travel around the world alone. His name: Richard Evelyn Byrd, Jr., age 13 (though the papers, eager for drama, initially claimed he was only eleven).
The Richmond Dispatch announced on August 10, 1902:
“Eleven-Year-Old Boy Going Around the World… He is one of the youngest persons ever to attempt to circle the globe alone.”
America loved it instantly.
Setting Out: August 9, 1902
According to the Star Independent (Aug. 12, 1902), Byrd left his hometown of Winchester, Virginia on August 9, accompanied as far as Washington, D.C. by his mother. From there he boarded the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, beginning a journey that newspapers followed with breathless fascination.
On the westbound train, he was accompanied by Mrs. Wendall, who was traveling to Manila for a government position. After Manila, however, Byrd would be on his own — navigating the larger world without an escort.
The courage of such a journey, especially for a boy of thirteen, captured the imagination of an America still enthralled with exploration.
A Year Around the World
Byrd reached San Francisco, then boarded a steamer for Manila, the capital of the newly acquired U.S. territories in the Philippines. From there, he traveled through:
Japan
China and parts of Asia
Europe
He lingered at each stop for weeks, absorbing new cultures and landscapes. The press tracked his progress as if he were a national mascot for youthful American daring.
When he finally returned to the United States — arriving in Boston on July 7, 1903 — he was greeted by a swarm of reporters. The Martinsburg Herald (July 11, 1903) wrote:
“The trip benefited him physically and mentally, and he looks very well after his many exciting experiences.”
The Pittsburgh Post (July 12, 1903) cast him as a symbol of national pluck:
“American independence and enterprise are typified in Richard Evelyn Byrd, Jr. of Winchester, Va.”
The boy adventurer had become a national story.
What Came After
The precocious traveler did not leave adventure behind.
As an adult, Admiral Richard E. Byrd became one of the great explorers of the twentieth century.
According to All Hands Magazine (November 1979), Byrd:
Made the first flight from Spitsbergen over the North Pole and back — a 15½-hour feat
Received the Medal of Honor for that achievement
Later led multiple Antarctic expeditions, pushing the boundaries of geographic knowledge
He died in Boston in March 1957 at the age of 68, honored as a pioneer.
Why It Matters
In the early 1900s, America was still enthralled with exploration — a nation eager to understand its place in a vast, dynamic world. Richard E. Byrd’s childhood voyage reminds us that:
Global curiosity shaped a generation
Young people were encouraged to dream boldly
Early exposure to the wider world could spark a lifetime of discovery
His little-known boyhood journey is more than a charming anecdote.
It is the first chapter of an American explorer’s extraordinary life.
Image Captions
Image of Richard E. Byrd, Wikimedia Commons
Richard Evelyn Byrd, Jr., circa 1902.
Newspaper photograph published in the Richmond Dispatch, August 10, 1902, accompanying the article “Eleven-Year-Old Boy Going Around the World.”
Public domain.
(Original source image provided via digitized newspaper archive.)
“Oceanic Steamship Co.” route map, featuring the Pacific Ocean and trans-Pacific routes.
Chromolithograph advertising card, ca. 1890s–1900s.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Public domain.
Designed by History in Two Voices for educational and editorial purposes.
Components drawn exclusively from public-domain sources.
** History in Two Voices does not own the rights to the images used. All images are in the public domain or from rights-free sources. Full image citations appear on our website.