Monrovia had its own airport? Yeah … seriously!
Did you know that from 1928 to 1953, Monrovia had its very own airport! The facility was located parallel to Shamrock Avenue just south of Huntington Drive. At the airport, pilots practiced their craft, students learned to fly, and passengers went for rides – along with the occasional movie being filmed!
Now, history lovers and flying enthusiasts can relive those aviation years with a special event being hosted by the Monrovia Historical Museum and the Monrovia Historical Society! Titled, “Monrovia’s Flying Field,” the event will take place on Sunday, April 30, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Monrovia Historical Museum (742 E. Lemon Ave., Monrovia, CA). Tickets for the public are $5 at the door, and refreshments will be served.
The event will feature chats with and stories from experts in the history of the Flying Field. There will also be photographs of historic planes, and videos of the Flying Field in action. In addition, there will be photos of the McDonald Brothers’ first hamburger stand which was at the Monrovia airport! Special guests for the event will include Tom Blackburn, son of the airport owner Al Blackburn, and Gary Boen, airport historian and collector of more than 1,000 photos and papers on the airport.
The event is co-sponsored by the Monrovia Historical Museum and the Monrovia Historical Society. Both organizations have decades-long history in preserving and presenting local history. The Museum contains exhibits on the Flying Field as well as the founding of Monrovia and its early history. It is open every Thursday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The Monrovia Historical Society oversees the historic George Anderson House and oversees the Monrovia Legacy Project. The Legacy Project is digitizing the city historian’s collection which will be shared online and through the Monrovia Library.
Come to the Monrovia Historical Museum on April 30 to Learn about Monrovia’s Own Airport!
