Airstream Ranch

An octet or set of 8 classic chrome trailers speared into the ground act as a tribute to the silver bullets of the open road. The roadside art installation known as the Airstream Ranch has caused double-takes along I-4 between Tampa and Orlando since 2008 despite local lawmakers lobbying to have the shiny trailer parade put out to pasture. 

Frank Bates, the owner of a nearby RV dealership, envisioned Airstream Ranch as a tribute to the iconic company's 75th anniversary.  He was inspired by the similar Cadillac Ranch installation in Amarillo, Texas which consists of a row of classic cars sticking out of the ground in the same fashion.  The Airstream Ranch sees eight silver bullets of the open road jammed into the earth at an angle not unlike a chromed out set of giant dominoes.  Thousands of visitors frequent the attraction each year to marvel at the odd display, but not everyone is so tickled.  

Some of Bates' neighbors viewed the installation as a nuisance, attracting too many unwanted visitors and just generally being an eyesore.  After complaining to the county officials, they were able to get a recurring fine levied on the Bates' trailers. However, after taking the matter to court it was decided Airstream Ranch could stay and the Bates' no longer had to pay any fines. 

America does not have as many iconic standing stones as much as the rest of the world that is home to such ancient wonders as the heads of Easter Island and Stonehenge, but this collection of standing trailer formations is becoming a beloved tradition in its own right.

Update:  The Airstream Ranch in Seffner, Florida was dismantled on February 9, 2017.

Airstream Heritage Center

1001 W. Pike Street

Jackson Center, Ohio

"To open a whole word of new experiences ... a new dimension in enjoyment where travel adventure and good fellowship are your constant companions."

Wally Byram's Creed

The 16,000-square-foot Airstream Heritage Center as a tribute to Wally Byam is located at the company's factory headquarters in Jackson Center, Ohio and is affectionally known as the "mothership". The museum highlights the evolution of the iconic aerodynamic aluminum trailer featuring a curated collection of rare models like a 1938 Airstream Clipper affectionately nicknamed "Old Grand Dad" The 1938 Clipper sits alongside other rare models including the newly rediscovered 1936 Clipper and a 1941 Clipper representing three of only 12 remaining Clipper models in existence.  "Old Grand Dad" showcases classic 1930s style wallpaper, a wooden interior and period-appropriate craftsmanship.

1938 Airstream named "Old Grand Dad"

1947 Bicycle Towing Stunt

Airstream founder Wally Byam hired French professional champion cyclist and former motor-paced world speed record holder, Alfred Letoureur to tow a 22-foot Airstream Liner* with his bicycle at the Metropolitan Arport in Van Nuys, California.  The famous stunt proved how light and easy the trailer was to pull and the resulting photo inspired the brand's iconic logo becoming the visual blueprint for Airstream.

Introduced in 1947 as Airstream's first post-WWII production model, the aluminum liner was heavily marketed as the "world's largest, fastest, easiest towing trailer coach".

*The "Liner" name was chosen to evoke the imagery of a luxury ocean liner navigating the open seas adapted for a premium, streamlined coach designed to effortlessly "sail" down the open highway. This maritime theme extended heavily into other classic Airstream models and construction terminology including names such as Clipper, Land yacht, Caravel, Trade Wind and Flying Cloud.  The interior parition walls inside an Airstream are still officially referred to as "bulkheads", a direct nod to ship construction. 

Alfred Letourneur

1907-1975

He was a cyclist from 1928 to 1942.

His nickname was "Le Diable Rouge".  It is French for "The Red Devil". 

Letourneur was given this nickname during his career during the 1930s and 1940s because of the bright red jerseys he customarily wore. 

The image of a lone cyclist towing a gleaming silver bullet across an airfield became an unforgettable symbol of post-war optimism, engineering ingenuity and human determination. The advertising campaign produced one of the most well-known Airstream photos to date! 

The center brings over 90 years of road trip culture to life, showcasing prized vintage trailers, historical films and rare artifacts from the company's inception to its work with NASA.

1938 Airstream Clipper being pulled by a 1938 Lincoln Zephyr

Original Price: $3,500 (Airstream Clipper)

Original Price:  $1,320 (Lincoln Zephyr four-door sedan) 

Release Date:  January 17, 1936

Introduced by Wally Byam in Culver City, California

This historic, all-aluminum, riveted travel trailer is the one ever built that launched the iconic Airstream brand.  The 1930s Airstreams were explicity described as aerodynamic.

When founder, Wally Byam established the company name in 1934, he chose "Airstream" precisely because his improved teardrop-shaped trailers cruised down the road "like a stream of air". To emphasize its aerodynamic properties, the company heavily marketed the 1936 clipper using aviation imagery.  It was famously advertised as "an airplane without wings" and its name was chosen because its "slippery", wind tunnel-tested silhouette closely mimicked the legendary Pam Am Clipper flying boats. 

1938 Airstream Clipper

Stella's Dream Trailer

Circa 1957

The Airsteeam was used by Wally and Stella on the 1959-1960 Cape Town to Cairo Africa Caravan and later repurchased by the company to be preserved and displayed at the Airstream Heritage Center.

Wally Byam's famous gold anodized trailer is known as "Stella's Gold Airstream" or "Stella's Dream Trailer" created in 1956 by Airstream founder Wally Byam and his wife, Stella. It was built at the Jackson Center, Ohio factory and never left company history behind, while a second sister gold-stripe Airstream ordered in 1961 by Airstream President, Art Costello was rediscovered by the publisher of Vintage Camper Trailers Magazine after being contacted by owners in California.  

 It rolled off the production line in early 1957 at the factory in Jackson Center, Ohio.  Clad in custom gold-anodized aluminum panels with matching gold-plated interior fixtures.  It was used by Wally and Stella on international travels, including serving as the lead Caravan trailer for the historic 1959-1960 Cape Town to Cairo African Caravan. 

Purchased by Airstream in 1992, restored and preserved on display at Airstream Heritage Center.   After Wally Byam's travels, the trailer was sold and passed through multiple private owners over the decades including John Dale Schwamborn who purchased it in 1969 and kept it for seven years. John Dale was Wally Byam's nephew.

The 1961 Sister Gold-Stripe Airstream

Circa 2017

Eventually after sitting unmoved for nearly a decade in an overgrown Modesto, California backyard, the trailer was carefully restored. Though weathered and tired, it carried an undeniable presence.  What initially looked like an oddball turned out to be a rare and potentially significant piece of Airstream history. This Airstream was rediscovered in California after the owner contacted vintage trailer historian, Paul Lacitinola.

The "forgotten gold" Airstream has undergone a careful restoration by Paul Lacitinola and a dedicated group of friends, with support from experienced craftsmen who recognized the importance of preserving what may be a one-of-a-kind example.

 The 1961 sister Gold-Stripe Airstream is now a part of the Gulley Museum Collection hosted by David and Mary Gulley in Little Rock, Arkansas.  The museum focuses on restoring and preserving vintage camping history, most notably rare pre-WWII and mid-century travel trailers.  David and Mary are more than just Airstream enthusiasts and vintage trailer collectors.  They are also passionate about restoring and preserving the history of the Airstream, as well as others.  By preserving a trailer's story, they also memorialize the collective stories of the people who spent their lives happily camping in those very same trailers.  The collection of Airstreams and vintage campers is also a very personal goal since the Gulley's family history is deeply intertwined with that of the Silver Bullets, in particular. David and Mary's passion for their hobby stems from their childhoods when their parents would take them camping. Once they became parents themselves they raised their two children traveling in Airstreams.  One of them took their first steps in an Airstream!

The Gulley family history with vintage campers began with David's parents who fell in love with Airstreams in the 1960s as soon as they purchased their first one, a 30-foot 1964 Airstream.  Eventually David's parents joined the Arkansas Unit of the Wally Byam Caravan Club International.  In 1976, they attended the 19th International Rally in Louisville, Kentucky, the largest Airstream rally ever held with over 4,500 trailers in attendance.  They were very dedicated members and attended rallies whenever they could.  David's father passed away one night in that very same Airstream in 1986.  The Airstream was sold and the family lost track of it for the next nine years.  That is, until one coincidental day in 1995.  As the Gully family was traveling through Hot Springs, Arkansas, they spotted an Airstream on an RV lot.  David Gulley pulled over to inspect it when he saw the faded outlne of their WBCCI membership number above the window, hoping it was his parents' 1976 Airstream that he had been looking for close to a decade.  Although it looked completely different on the inside, the pattern David's mother had special ordered for the awning and folding chairs had been maintained and David knew it was their Airstream.  Needless to say, he bought it back immediately.  Today, his parent's trailer sits at the forefront of the Gulley Museum, completely restored to its original intended condition and cherished beyond belief. 

Sidenote:  A most interesting and beautiful human interest story.  Thank you David and Mary Gulley. It is a pleasure sharing your Airstream story on my blog.