Aviation Museum of Santa Paula already flying high as opening event draws hundreds to airport
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Published: February 09, 2000
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Above, a 1930 Gipsy Mouth Airplane is part of the display in hanger one. Below Bob Phelps along with City of Santa Paula Mayor Rick Cook cut the red ribbon opening hanger one.
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If Sunday's official opening of the Aviation Museum of Santa Paula (AMSP) is any indication of its future success, well, it's already flying high.
Hundreds of supporters and aviation lovers flocked to the world famous Santa Paula Airport for the highly anticipated opening of the museum, held amid the airport's First Sunday festivities that drew over a thousand people.
“This is a great addition to Santa Paula and the Heritage Valley Tourism Bureau is delighted to have it,” said City Councilman Jim Garfield, president of the tourism board.
“It's another wonderful asset for our community,” noted Councilwoman Robin Sullivan, a member of the museum's board of directors. “Everyone worked a long time on this and it's the grand culmination of their efforts, but it's only a beginning. . .and it's something the Santa Paula Airport has wanted for so long.”
Mayor Rick Cook noted how many people, “90 percent whom I don't know,” were waiting for the ribbon cutting and opening of Hangar One. “It proves what an attraction this is. . .”
Bob Phelps, President of the AM SP's Board of Directors, opened the ceremony by noting “this is a wonderful event; I can't get over the response we have and so many people that are here today.”
Hangar One, Phelps own, is devoted to the “evolution of the Santa Paula Airport from before when the St. Francis Dam collapse flooded everything out of the valley,” in 1928; two years later the airport opened on land that had been destroyed, with Ralph Dickenson leading the effort to “scrape out the ground to create this.”
An airplane taking off interrupted Phelps' remarks, but “it's a wonderful sound; that's why we're here,” he said.
The exhibit in Hangar One was designed by noted artist Wendell Dowling, and it was the “help, thoughts and suggestions of all the volunteers that proved invaluable,” to the museum's creation, said Phelps.
Due for special kudos were Janice and Bruce Dickenson (Ralph's grandson who has spent his entire life at the airport), Sally Phelps, Mike Dewey, Phil Romney and other board directors who devoted their energies to the effort of creating the museum.
In actuality, the museum is comprised of a chain of hangars, noted Phelps, “each in itself fascinating,” and offering everything of collectible interest related to aviation or not. “In the future we'll have more exhibits and each hangar is not solely a museum. . .each is a working hangar that holds aircraft.”
“This is another piece of history in this wonderful valley,” said Supervisor Kathy Long, and Richard Garcia, President of the Chamber of Commerce, noted “it's a beautiful day in Santa Paula.”
“I've been in Santa Paula for 20 years and always enjoyed the airport,” said Vice Mayor Don Johnson.
With that the ribbon was cut and the hundreds of people on hand toured the museum, their enthusiasm obvious as they studied the exhibits ranging from a 1930 Gipsy Moth to memorabilia of the airport's opening day held 70 years ago.
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