The 1940 Air Terminal Museum
2003 News Briefs
- January 9, 2004 - Our Grand Opening of the North Wing was fantastic! Throughout the day, museum visitors, members, and special guests were treated the the sight of the 1940 Air Terminal with a parking lot full of vintage automobiles and the North Wing galleries stuffed with aviation artifacts and photographs. On the airside, the crowded ramp featured the museum's beautiful Lockheed Lodestar surrounded by a DC-6, Beech 18, Stinson 108, Luscombe, and a vintage gasoline truck.
- December 17, 2003 - Our Centennial of Flight Celebration and Museum Sneak Preview was a big hit! For the first time in over thirty years, the 1940 Air Terminal was open to the public. Museum members and guests were treated to a sneak preview of the museum's Phase I North Wing. Throughout the day, over 500 visitors previewed the exhibit galleries, gift shop, and theater. Visitors were also escorted onto the tarmac and treated to a special look at our beautiful 1943 Lockheed Lodestar N31G. Many thanks to all of our volunteers, museum members, friends, and neighbors who helped us celebrate the 100th anniversay of flight in our lovely 1940 Air Terminal. Details and photos...
- December 12, 2003 - Read the Houston Chronicle article about the 1940 Air Terminal Museum!
- December 11, 2003 - The North Wing is almost finished! The Ticket Counter Wall that separates the North Wing from the Atrium looks amazing! Through the large windows, the view of the Atrium's polished marble floor is breathtaking. Museum visitors will truly feel as if they have been transported back to 1940 as they stand at the recreated Braniff and Eastern Airways ticket counters and experience the Golden Age of Flight!
- November 14, 2003 - Construction continues with the connection of utilites, finishing of interior doorways and openings, and construction of new restrooms. The Tribble & Stephens construction crew is working quickly to ensure that the North Wing is ready for the December 17 Centennial of Flight Celebration and Museum Sneak Preview.
- October 20, 2003 - Media Release: "1940 AIR TERMINAL MUSEUM GRAND OPENING IN JANUARY – CENTENNIAL OF FLIGHT CELEBRATION AND SNEAK PREVIEW IN DECEMBER"
- October 10, 2003 - The North and South Wings are newly roofed and the entire building is weather-tight. Trenches have been dug for the new connection of utilities to this long-vacant building. Work has begun on the Ticket Counter Wall that will separate the North Wing from the Atrium.
September 24, 2003 - Roofing repairs are under way. This week, workers began removing the terra cotta tiles that have paved the floor of the North Wing Observation Deck for the past sixty-four years. Many of the tiles are intact and will be saved and reused later on in the restoration. The terra cotta tiles were used to pave both the North and South Wing Observation Decks as well as the narrow catwalk around the control tower cab.
Painters have begun applying the final coat of paint to the building's exterior. The green patina of the building's copper roofing contrasts beautifully with the new pale white paint, transporting the Houston Municipal Air Terminal back in time to its original art deco splendor.
September 17, 2003 - Exterior painting continues. This week, painters continued repairing the building's stucco plaster exterior and have painted a primer coat on the entire building. For the first time in many years, the building is white and more closely resembles its original appearance. Workers are replacing broken window panes and cleaning and repainting rusted window frames. Soon, the building will weatherproof and ready for more interior restoration.
September 10, 2003 - Exterior painting has begun! This week, workers are removing the old exterior paint from the Houston Municipal Airport Terminal and painting test patches of the new paint color options. Historial research and oral histories indicate that the original color of the entire building was a pale white. Accent colors such as salmon and tan were added during the various remodeling that took place over the years. The actual tint specification is unknown, so painters are preparing several small areas that will be used to make the final determination.
- August & September, 2003 - The restoration continues. As the terminal building awaits the next step of restoration and refurbishment, plans have been submitted to various agencies for approval and permit applications are in the works. Bright red obstruction lights have been installed on the perimeter fence in accordance with the Houston Airport System's requirements.
August 11, 2003 - We have a winner! Harry F. Plackemeier of Houston, Texas has won two round-trip Business First tickets to Hawaii on Continental Airlines. Raffle tickets were sold during the months of April, May, and June of this year. Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society Director A.J. High drew the winning ticket today in front of the 1940 Air Terminal. Congratulations to Mr. Plackemeier and thanks to all who helped support the 1940 Air Terminal Museum with their raffle ticket purchases.
August 4, 2003 - The Stone Floor in the Atrium Comes Back to Life! Although the limestone and granite floor in the Atrium of the Houston Municipal Airport Terminal has been covered with dirt and debris for over 30 years, it is in remarkably good condition. The Atrium is scheduled to be restored and opened to the public during Phase II of the construction and restoration project. To give us a preview of what the entire floor will look like once it is restored, Jim Youngblood of Spic N' Span All-in-One Cleaning Service has cleaned and polished a small section. Click here to see the photos and the floorplan.
July 26, 2003 - Restoration of the North Wing continues with window repairs! Although Phase 1 of the restoration is focused primarily on the the rehabilitation of the North Wing and opening the museum to the public, we are also working to preserve as much of the rest of the Houston Municipal Airport Terminal as possible for later restoration. Over the years, leaks in the roof and windows have allowed water to seep into the building and accelerate its deterioration. To halt the process, we are working to repair the entire roof and seal the windows. Fortunately, most of the window panes are intact and unbroken. Rather than removing and replacing the windows, the construction team is exploring an innovative approach of carefully sealing and repainting each pane. This process has been tested on one set of windows and the results are encouraging. Click here to see the photos and read more about Phase I.
July 23, 2003 - The 1940 Air Terminal Museum's resident aviation artist Jonathan Frank recently took home an Excellence ribbon from the jury during the 2003 EAA Sport Aviation Art Competition for his work "First Impressions," an oil painting of an OX-5 powered Waco 10. "First Impressions" is featured on the back cover of the July 2003 edition of "Vintage Airplane," the magazine of the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association. To date, Jonathan Frank has created two paintings for the 1940 Air Terminal Museum: "Age of the Classics - The Houston Municipal Air Terminal" and "Age of the Classics II - Dawn of a New Era." Prints of both paintings are available in the museum's online gift shop.
- July 18, 2003 - Restoration of the North Wing of the 1940 Air Terminal Museum continues with repairs to the roof. The original roof, which serves as the site of the North Wing Observation Deck, is paved with decorative red tiles. Although most of the tiles are in good condition, the material under the tiles that was used to waterproof the roof has deteriorated. We would like to carefully remove and save as many of the original tiles as possible, install a new waterproof membrane, and reinstall the tiles to restore the Observation Deck as nearly as possible to its original glory.
- July 15, 2003 - The Board of Directors of the Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society toured the National Museum of Naval Aviation on July 11-12 for a special behind-the-scenes briefing on first class museum operations. The Naval Aviation museum is the second largest aviation museum in the world and an excellent example of premier museum management, collection organization, educational programs, volunteerism, and other areas of museum operations. As we move forward with the construction and organization of the 1940 Air Terminal Museum, studying the achievements of other aviation museums will help us assemble the finest collection of civil aviation artifacts and aircraft. See the photos...
- July 11, 2003 - Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing plans for the first phase of restoration of the 1940 Air Terminal have been submitted to the Houston Airport System for approval. Additionally, roof repairs are scheduled to begin within the next week or two. As construction continues, we are working to prepare the museum's collection of aviation artifacts and aircraft for exhibition. Click here to learn more about how you can help the 1940 Air Terminal Museum during this exciting phase of construction and organization.
- July 7, 2003 - Asbestos abatement of the North Wing is finished! See the photos...
Museum Members and Volunteers Meeting - The 1940 Air Terminal Museum displayed museum information and gift shop merchandise before and during the Houston Aviation Alliance luncheon meeting at the Hobby Airport Hilton on Airport Blvd. today. Museum representatives Drew Coats, Gordon Cragg, and AJ High were on hand to answer questions and provide information about the museum. Immediately following the Houston Aviation Alliance luncheon, TJ Zalar, the 1940 Air Terminal Museum's Curator, led a brief Members and Volunteers Meeting to provide updates on museum progress and to train volunteers. for more information about volunteer opportunities and training.
- July 5, 2003 - Asbestos abatement of the North Wing is almost finished! The asbestos abatement crew is working through the weekend to finish the job as quickly as possible. They are on track to complete the asbestos removal within the next couple of days. See the photos...
- July 3, 2003 - Asbestos abatement continues! The asbestos abatement crew is making good progress on the North Wing. They plan to finish the job within the next few days. As they remove plaster, panelling, and wall board, they are uncovering the basic structural elements of the building. Several of the walls are now just bare brick block, while others are simply metal rebar. The terminal's main two-story atrium is filled with equipment, old furniture, and other construction odds and ends. As the asbestos abatement is finished, architect Howard Hill and engineer Richard Burr work to finalize the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing plans for the next phase of construction and restoration. See the photos...
- June 30, 2003 - Asbestos abatement began today! The asbestos abatement crew began removing asbestos from the North Wing of the 1940 Air Terminal today. Trace amounts of asbestos have been found in the plaster. The asbestos crew will remove the plaster and expose the underlying brick walls. See the photos...
June 30, 2003 - Great news! Today, we received a letter of confirmation that the IRS has made the Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society's 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status permanent! The Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society was originally granted 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service in December, 1999. New 501(c)(3) organizations are placed on a three-year advance ruling probationary period, after which the IRS determines whether to make the tax-exempt status permanent. Obtaining permanent 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status is extremely important to us and directly impacts our fundraising efforts for the 1940 Air Terminal Museum.
- June 26, 2003 - The fence is finished! The 1940 Air Terminal Museum's property is now entirely self-contained and accessible to our construction crews. Asbestos abatement is scheduled to begin next week. Once the asbestos is removed and the building is cleaned, the next step is the construction and installation of new electrical, water, sewer, and telephone service to the building. See the photos...
- June 24, 2003 - The fence is almost finished! The photos below were taken this afternoon at the job site. See the photos...
- June 23, 2003 - The leadership of the Houston Airport System was briefed on the 1940 Air Terminal Museum progress and toured the Terminal this morning. The delegation included: Richard Vacar, Director, Houston Airport System; Thomas Bartlett, Deputy Director, Operations Services; Ernie DeSoto, Manager, Media Relations; Mark Mancuso, Deputy Directory, Public Safety; Eric Potts, Deputy Director, Planning, Design and Construction; and Meg Lonero, Manager, William P. Hobby Airport.
Construction of the fence continues. The posts are all set and the fencing fabric is ready for installation. See the photos...
- June 21, 2003 - New additions to the museum's photograph collection arrive almost daily. We recently received some of the best photos we have seen of the inside of the Houston Municipal Air Terminal in its day from Mrs. Joy Parker and her family. Mrs. Parker worked as an Eastern Airlines ticket agent in the Terminal from 1943 through 1947.
Photos: Below right, the Eastern ticket counter in the lobby as it appeared in the 1940's. Below left, the same space today.
- June 19, 2003 - The fence is going up! Fence posts were placed in the ground today and the construction crew has begun to cement them in place. The fence should be finished by the middle of next week. Once finished, asbestos abatement in the North Wing will begin. See the photos...
- June 18, 2003 - Tribble & Stephens hosted the third construction meeting today to review mechanical, electrical, and plumbing drawings prior to their submission for City of Houston approval. Also, the group brainstormed about long-range plans for the museum and its facilities.
- June 16, 2003 - We are on our way! The first step toward restoration of the 1940 Air Terminal building is the construction of the fence that will separate the site from the Houston Aiport System. Workers have begun drilling fence post holes in the concrete parking area. Once the fence is complete, we can begin the asbestos abatement of the North Wing.
- March, 2003 - The building is ours! City Council has approved the lease of the Houston Municipal Air Terminal building to the Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society. We can now move forward with restoration of the North Wing!
Archives
The Starliner: Journal of the Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society
Special Events: The 1940 Air Terminal Museum's participation in aviation events.