Historic Hangars of the Pacific Northwest

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

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, December 28, 2022 at 01:57 PM ET

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

Key Takeaways:

The article highlights two distinct World War I-era hangars in Washington state, both with rich histories of aviation and successful repurposing for modern use.
One is a pre-fabricated metal hangar at Jefferson County International Airport (0S9), originally from California, which hosted historical aircraft like the *Spirit of St. Louis* and now serves as an active aircraft maintenance shop.
The second is a unique all-wooden seaplane hangar at the University of Washington, recognized as the world's only known WWI-era Navy all-wood seaplane hangar, which famously became the shell house for Olympic-winning crew teams and is currently undergoing restoration.
The article also provides guidance on preserving historic buildings by utilizing resources like the National Register of Historic Places.

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“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.