1940 Air Terminal Museum At 8325 Travelair St.

Texasepies · September 18, 2009

Very interesting. Why is named Hobby? Shouldn't the county have named it Hughes after his death?

In 1967, the airport was renamed after former Texas governor William P. Hobby.

Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976)

samagon · September 18, 2009

I guess the laws changed, cause the George Bush Sr. is still living?

Or do we not get any federal funding for IAH?

Texasepies · September 18, 2009

I guess the laws changed, cause the George Bush Sr. is still living?
Or do we not get any federal funding for IAH?

I thought the same thing, but maybe it is different for presidents?

jm1fd · September 18, 2009

This building is such a stunner! Gorgeous! I can't wait until they've completed restoring it. I also hope they get a bit more organization to the museum side of things...the exhibits are pretty disjointed, and lacking context.

Texasepies · September 19, 2009

A few more pictures.

Specwriter · September 19, 2009

This building is such a stunner! Gorgeous! I can't wait until they've completed restoring it. I also hope they get a bit more organization to the museum side of things...the exhibits are pretty disjointed, and lacking context.

The musuem is pretty much a volunteer effort as I understand. If anyone is interested in joining and helping out I'm sure that would be appreciated, especially if that person has experience in the design and maintenance of things like museums. Please see their website. www.1940airterminal.org

To me the layout of the items is not as much of an issue as how well the items are preserved. As more space becomes available in the building I'm sure the displays themselves will improve but I know it must be expensive, and require some diligence, to maintain temperatures, lighting, and humidity levels conducive to preserving the artifacts in the space.

Does anyone remember what a hodge-podge the Texas State Historical Museum in Austin was before the new Bob Bullock Museum was built? It was chock full of artifacts and memorabilia most of which was labled with typewritten descriptions on small note cards. Still, it was history buff heaven.

Texasepies · September 28, 2009

A good article and video on Hobby.

http://www.houstons55.com/postcards-from-texas/stories/2009-06-14-first-airport.jsp

barracuda · September 28, 2009

Does Houston have anything commemorating Howard Hughes? He's got to be one of the most interesting people to ever come from the area.

kylejack · September 28, 2009

Does Houston have anything commemorating Howard Hughes? He's got to be one of the most interesting people to ever come from the area.

3921 Yoakum is called the Hughes House because he used to live there. It houses the archeology and theology departments for University of St. Thomas. Other than that, no, I don't know of anything named after him, and that's sad.

As you may know, his grave is in Glenwood Cemetary.

barracuda · September 28, 2009

3921 Yoakum is called the Hughes House because he used to live there. It houses the archeology and theology departments for University of St. Thomas. Other than that, no, I don't know of anything named after him, and that's sad.
As you may know, his grave is in Glenwood Cemetary.

His legacy does seem under-appreciated, and perhaps it's due to his eccentric lifestyle. But I can't think of an individual more fitting to have a Houston airport named after him. On the other hand, the legacies of George Bush or William Hobby really have nothing to do with aviation.

kylejack · September 28, 2009

Prior to living on Yoakum, Hughes lived in the Beaconsfield (now a downtown condo). Allegedly his mother would let him sleep naked in bed with her and she did sexual things with him.

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2009/08/houston_101_where_howard_hughe.php

NenaE · January 18, 2010

http://www.myhoustons55.com/_Houstons-First-Airport/video/692273/38668.html

looks like the art deco hanger had a bldg. attached to it.

24zulu · January 19, 2010

There is also a small display of the old Hobby Terminal memorabilia at the Hobby Hilton. One thing that caught my eye was a book that had the word Dogpatch in it. Failed to get the title & author.

Was this the book about the WAF that were stationed at Hobby during WWII? I know they used to call the area at the far end of the field the dogpatch, or dogpound... can't remember which. The author may have been the lady that was at the air terminal museum on a Wings & Wheels Day. If so, buy the book, it's facinating what those gals could do with any airplane.

NenaE · January 19, 2010

Was this the book about the WAF that were stationed at Hobby during WWII? I know they used to call the area at the far end of the field the dogpatch, or dogpound... can't remember which. The author may have been the lady that was at the air terminal museum on a Wings & Wheels Day. If so, buy the book, it's facinating what those gals could do with any airplane.

I don't know, wasn't able to pick it up and look at it, was in a glass case, locked up. It's probably at the old terminal museum, though. Yeah, would be an interesting read.

One of my first jobs was located right by that Art Deco terminal. When the old planes (I remember a huge bomber, in particular) flew in to Hobby for the air show (at Ellington), the sound was unbelievable. I love those old planes.