Register

Historic Hangars of the Pacific Northwest

A weathered hangar at Jefferson County International Airport has housed plenty of aircraft maintenance and aviation history.

The metal hangar at Jefferson County dates back to World War I. [Credit: Summer Martell]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The article highlights two unique WWI-era hangars in Washington State with rich histories of aviation and adaptive reuse.
  • One is a pre-fabricated steel hangar at Jefferson County International Airport, originally built in San Diego, which was relocated multiple times and housed historic aircraft like the *Spirit of St. Louis*, now serving as an active maintenance shop.
  • The second is the world's only known all-wooden WWI Navy seaplane hangar at the University of Washington, famously repurposed as a crew shell house for the "Boys in the Boat" team, and is currently undergoing restoration.
  • The article also provides guidance on preserving historic structures by listing them on the National Register of Historic Places.
See a mistake? Contact us.

“How old is that hangar? It looks like something out of the 1920s.”

One of my learners made this remark after landing at Jefferson County International Airport (0S9) in Washington. The hangar is a weather-beaten metal structure with lines of square windows at the roofline. You half expect to see the doors being pushed open by men wearing coveralls and newsboy caps so that an open cockpit biplane occupied by a pilot wearing a leather helmet can be pushed onto the ramp.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

Ready to Sell Your Aircraft?

List your airplane on AircraftForSale.com and reach qualified buyers.

List Your Aircraft
AircraftForSale Logo | FLYING Logo
Pilot in aircraft
Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!

Get the latest stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox.

SUBSCRIBE