Page 19 - Aerospace Valley Heritage - Aerotech News and Review, October 15, 2021

RURAL, from 18
down American planes continuously. created by her late mother Juanita
During the war she flew the AT-11, Crothers. “She particularly liked
the AT-6 and the BT-13 training male painting flowers,” DuPratt recalled.
students to become bombardiers for What made her think of creating an
combat. “Our country was desperate,” art gallery at the museum?
she said in an interview. “We were “There was a vibrant art community
losing the war. The Battle of Midway here in the Valley,” DuPratt said.
turned the tides in our favor.”
Irma “Babe” Story, the last survivor “There still is a thriving art community,
of the three AV WASPs, died in 2017. a different generation of artists.”
She was born in 1921, in Burbank, DuPratt has lived in the Valley since
but moved to Lancaster as a 1-year- she was a toddler. “I still have friends
old toddler. She attended school with from kindergarten. I’m aware of the
Frances Gumm, known professionally local history.”
as Judy Garland. Story caught the One of those friends is Board
flight bug while playing with model Director Kristi Word, a retired teacher
airplanes built by her brother. She who handles the school exhibits at the
learned to fly at the Civilian Pilot museum as well as tours for third-
Training Program sponsored by grade students. Because they have
Antelope Valley College and at the more items than they have room to
Antelope Valley Flying Service, owned
by Pancho Barnes, a Hollywood stunt display, some of the inventory is in
pilot. In Dodge City, Kansas, Story storage, but gets rotated for exhibits.
trained on twin-engine Martin B-26 “We’re fortunate that people have
bombers, towing targets for gunners in been so generous,” DuPratt said.
B-24s. Next Story went to Harlingen The reason for the new building is
Army Airfield in Texas. because the museum outgrew its space
Bill Rawlings, the current finance and the new facility is about double the
officer on the Rural Museum’s size, Rawlings said. And it offers some
executive board, lived in the Antelope new amenities like a meeting room that
Valley since 2nd-grade and had served can accommodate 60 people. He hopes
as chairman of the board four or five they can open sometime in 2022.
times. He was among the museum’s “We’ve grown remarkably, more
founding members. He’s pleased with than I ever dreamed,” Rawlings said.
the direction that the museum took, “Obviously it’s filling a void.”
and the outpouring of support from
the community — both in memorabilia If there’s a common thread among
to add to the collections and in cash the board members, as well as the
donations to keep the efforts going. donors, it’s their love of the Valley
The museum was more or less a and their desire to preserve the
spinoff of the Rural Olympics at the history. While some people call this
Antelope Valley Fair. “In May 2005, the Antelope Valley and others refer
we founded the Rural Olympics Hall to it as Aerospace Valley, those with Photographs by Evelyn Kristo
of Fame,” Rawlings said, referring to a sentimental connection simply call Lockheed Martin is featured in an exhibit at the Antelope Valley Rural Museum’s aerospace collection, highlighting
the Rural Olympics Committee at the it home. the local contractor’s contribution to the valley’s aerospace legacy. The museum is located at the Antelope Valley
fairgrounds. “That was our starting Fairgrounds in Lancaster, Calif.
point.”
Then Rawlings, a career cabinet
maker, now retired, tossed around the
notion of a Rural Museum to preserve
the history of the Antelope Valley.
After the AV Fair ended in 2009, he
said the Rural Olympic Committee
met and discussed the possibility of
constructing the museum. As a cabinet
maker his entire life, he knew about
construction and could help with the
project. Committee members agreed
it was worth trying. The results were
better than they could have imagined.
The Rural Museum on the fairgrounds
is a big draw every year of the fair,
with people checking out all the
exhibits. There’s an old windmill that
belonged to the Simi Ranch on the east
side of town. It was donated to the
museum by Giovanni Simi, the current
board chairman, and his family. Board
member Sheila Sola does a timeline
display. She also started an exhibit
of the Valley Queens. She was Miss
Antelope Valley in 1965, when her
surname was Taylor.
Dayle DeBry, a director on the
board, handles the military and
aviation collections. She also serves
as the newsletter editor.
Board Director Lynn DuPratt, a
former editor for the Antelope Valley
Press, handles Public Relations and
started an art gallery for the museum,
showcasing the work of local artists.
She even has one painting on display Northrop Grumman is featured in an exhibit at the Antelope Valley Rural Museum’s aerospace collection, highlighting the local contractor’s contribution to the
that’s truly personal to her, a painting valley’s aerospace legacy. The museum is located at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds in Lancaster, Calif.

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