Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum

Set on the edge of the Ken Jernstedt Airfield in Hood River, the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum presents early aviation and motoring technology in a working airfield context rather than as static relics. Founded in 2006 and opened in 2007, the museum grew rapidly from its initial collection of aircraft and cars into multiple hangars filled with machines primarily from the 1900s through the 1930s—a period that shaped military aviation doctrine and logistics worldwide. Many of the aircraft types represented here, or their close contemporaries, provided the structural and aerodynamic foundation for interwar and early World War II training, liaison, and support roles. For military history enthusiasts, the value lies in examining original construction methods, control systems, and powerplants that predate modern standards yet underpinned later combat aircraft design. The salvaged façade of a 1940s Evergreen Flying Service hangar underscores ongoing preservation challenges: saving not only vehicles but also the built environment of aviation. Situated in the Columbia River Gorge, the museum ties together civilian innovation, early air transport, and the broader technological ecosystem that military air arms ultimately drew upon.