Aviation Museum opens exhibit
February 02, 2000
Santa Paula News
Aviation Museum of Santa Paula opens first exhibit with ribbon cutting
The Board of Directors of the Aviation Museum of Santa Paula is pleased to announce that the Museum will open its first exhibit with a gala ribbon cutting on Sunday, February 6 at 1 p.m. Elected officials and community leaders from throughout Ventura County will be in attendance.The exhibit is located at the Santa Paula Airport in hangar space donated by Bob and Sally Phelps. The exhibit opening is in conjunction with Santa Paula Airport’s monthly “First Sunday” event and the public is welcome. Directions to the Aviation Museum will be available at the Airport.Designed by Wendell Dowling, the opening exhibit depicts the early years of aviation in the Santa Clara Valley, including the dedication of the Santa Paula Airport in 1930.The Museum is presently established as a “chain of hangars” dedicated to the history of Santa Paula Airport and aviation history in general. Hangar #1 depicts the early years of aviation in this city from 1927-1930. Future hangars of the chain are planned to take Santa Paula through 1930, World War II, and to the present. They will include many aspects of aviation: aerodynamics of flying, design and construction of aircraft, and, whenever possible, for the kids, hands on application. Hangar #1, as well as future hangars, will be designed for the exhibits to be easily moved to a permanent large building when funds are available.
As a bonus, included in the chain we will have six additional hangars that display exhibits of antique aircraft, classic antique cars and racing cars, an incredible radio collection, jukeboxes, paintings, photographs, model planes, artifacts, collectibles, and much more.Included in the first Sunday of the month for February 6 will be an exhibit of ultralights from Camarillo. We also hope to have some Santa Paula Cruise Night cars, as well as a Model “A” and “T” club from Santa Clarita, and some other unusual transportation vehicles.The Aviation Museum of Santa Paula is a privately funded non-profit corporation. Membership and contribution information is available by calling the Museum office, 525-1109 or 933-1961.