The NEW Port Townsend Aero Museum Building

Recent Progress!

The summer weather brings with it a great deal of progress at the Port Townsend Aero Museum. Here we see the parking lot curbs, light standards and entry roof in place. 

October 2007

To see and learn about the museum building process please scroll down.

In the beginning...

North and South Views of the Port Townsend Aero Museum

A new museum building/hangar will provide safe, hands-on public access to historic aircraft. Because of the increased space and safety aspects of the new building, it holds the possibility of expanding the youth and volunteer programs. A new hangar will enhance the display and interpretation of antique and classic aircraft, provide expanded restoration and repair facilities, increase the number of visitors due to its visibility and public awareness, and provide a repository for information about and repair of historic aircraft.

Members of the board of trustees are 100% committed to the project and have made substantial donations since its inception and plan on continuing to do so.

The PTAM has signed an option for a 75-year lease of ground with direct access to the apron of Jefferson County International Airport. The site affords a sweeping view of the airport and surrounding territory and high visibility from State Road 19, the main highway to and from Port Townsend. The new museum/hangar will cost approximately $1.8 million with a footprint of 17,700 square feet. The two story facility will house up to 18 aircraft, museum artifacts, the reference library, apprentice shops and offices. It will also include a five-foot viewing walkway from the second floor and will be handicap accessible. Currently, $1,200,000 has been earmarked in a savings account toward the project and the board has committed to applying a portion of annual surpluses for the next three years to the capital project.

A special thanks goes out from all of us here at the Port Townsend Aero Museum to Mr. Mike Biggs and Mr. George Wittler of Washington Engineering and Azon Inc. in Bremerton WA. In addition, we also want to thank Mr. Mark Grant of Grant Steel Building Systems in Port Townsend WA for letting us tap into his vast technical knowledge of modern metal building construction. And last but certainly not least, a huge debt of gratitude is owed to Mr. Bill Leavitt of Leavitt industries, whose company is the very best at moving dirt in the process of site preparation.  Thanks to these fine gentlemen, our dream of building a world class Aero Museum right here in Port Townsend is turning into a reality. 

NEW BUILDING PROCESS BEGINS!

Ground Breaking Day!!!        April 14th, 2005

April 14th, 2005

Aerial photo of site taken May 21st, 2005.

Looking East across the site on June 30th, 2005.

Front Row: The builders helping to build a future for those pictured in the rear.

Back Row: The Future.  August 17th, 2005.

Foundation just prior to concrete pour.

Steel shipment arrives right on schedule.

Looking west toward the Olympic Mountains.

Steel storage area.

10 ton carne lifting the heavy roof beams which measure nearly 2" thick.

September 27th, 2005

Jerry Thuotte and Mark Grant of Grant Steel discussing the building process.

September 30th, 2005

Finally, the wind and rain stopped long enough in early January for the installation to begin of the steel siding.      

By March 2006 we hope to have all of the steel siding installed.

In late March of 2006 the museum's metal roof installation began.

By mid May the complicated curved roof was nearly finished.

With the roof fully installed the concrete work begins inside.

The radiant floor heating tubes can be seen here as the west floor concrete is pumped in.

Looking at the steel rebar in place for the freight elevator and upper offices.

Early summer 2006 finds the concrete floors  poured and polished.

Jerry Thuotte talking with the mechanical room builders.

This is the south facing hangar door as view from inside the museum main floor.

Looking west inside the main floor you can see the walls and supports for the upper level library, office, and elevator.  November 2006.

This is the frame work for the main entry canopy. It is being constructed inside the museum while the work continues all around.

Late summer 2006 and the south facing apron asphalt is finally in place.

The entry way as it looked on January 18th, 2007.

With the new museum lights burning brightly the winter work has been progressing at a rapid pace.

Raising and installing the steel supports for the elevated walkway.

January 2007

The exterior trim work nearing completion on the south facing side of the building.

 January 2007.

February 10th finds the entry way work just beginning. Note that the foundations are already in place for the large steel structure.

By the middle of February 2007, the museum shop, kitchen, and bathrooms are beginning to take shape in the West end of the building.

Jerry Thuotte talks over the finer points of welding with our expert welder who is a true craftsman in every sense of the word. I've yet to see a single weld of his that was anything less then a small work of art.

These stairs are leading up to the conference room and library on the second floor of the West end.

The second floor of the conference room and mezzanine before the concrete is poured.

March 2007 and the second floor concrete is poured and being finished.

Lifting the welded steel entry way in to place with an early spring snow melting on the ground.

Early May 2007 finds the first of the new concrete entryway in place.