Aviation Museum of Santa Paula officially opens

(Left photo) The airport opened in August 1930 with a dedication celebration that included air races, aerobatics and parachuting, a visit from the Goodyear Blimp, and featuring many famous aviators of the time such as Art Goebel, Roscoe Turner, Pancho Barnes, Jimmy Doolittle and Hawley Bowles.

 Last Sunday, just about 84 years later there was another grand celebration at the Santa Paula Airport, the official opening of the Aviation Museum of Santa Paula. Above, (center) Janice Dickenson and other dignitaries cut the ceremonial ribbon officially opening the museum. (Right photo) Bruce and Janice Dickenson with Harlan “Bud” Gurney at the opening ceremony of the Aviation Museum of Santa Paula, in front of the display honoring Charles Lindbergh and Gurney’s father, also “Bud” Gurney.  The two are pictured together leaning against a plane in the large photo at left on the display.  The senior Gurney and Lindbergh were boyhood friends in Nebraska and remained friends all their lives.  The elder Gurney hosted Lindbergh at Santa Paula Airport in 1969, flying together in Gurney’s Gypsy Moth, which is still based at the airport.  The younger Gurney and his family loaned two tubs of photos for the Museum to go through and select photos for the display.