A. H. Anderson Collection

This collection contains narratives, clippings, certificates, pilot’s logbooks, photographs, scrapbooks, ephemera, and memorabilia that were created and/or collected by A. H. Anderson during his lifetime. The A. H. Anderson Collection is housed in one non-standard box and one object totaling 3.0 linear ft.

The collection arrived in fair condition. However, over time, the plastic sleeves in the scrapbook emitted a residue that made the materials stick to the plastic. Though the collection arrived in 1985, it had never been processed or described. The materials were discovered during a move of the archive. The curator identified five series with the first series being the Personal Papers Series, which is further organized into two subseries: 1. Biographical Information and 2. Pilot’s logbooks.

Subseries 1. contains a biographical narrative written by Anderson, clippings regarding his funeral, and a certificate of appointment to the rank of Colonel in the Confederate Air Corps.

Subseries 2. contains Anderson’s pilot logbooks including a portrait image in one of them.

The second series is the Publications Series, which contains clippings about Anderson’s encounter with Wiley Post, the Gee Bee airplane, and Charles A. Lindbergh’s final resting place in Hawaii, Hawaii.

The third series is the Photographs Series, which contains images depicting Anderson receiving the Oldtimers Night Award, George C. Matthews, and his airplanes: Ravon (?), tail number NC911; Great Lakes, tail number NC844H with Massey’s Fine Vanillas, Chicago markings on fuselage; biplanes, single engine airplanes, and Mono Aircraft Inc., tail number 5884; and Travel Air Ways and Army Air Corps hangars with biplanes parked in front and people gathered for a group photograph.

The fourth series is the Scrapbook Series, which contains clippings, ephemera, photographs, posters, postcards, correspondence, membership cards, newsletter Taxi-Strip, certificates, and newsletter The Commercial Appeal.

Topics are: general aviation, aircraft accidents, air races, Vincent Bendix National Air Races, Thompson Race, women in aviation, Texas Centennial Exposition, Ruth Chatterton Air Derby, Makato airport, “Doc” DeCelles, Ed Hudlow, St. Louis Robin Endurance Flight, Roscoe Turner and his lion (image signed by Turner), silent movie star Harold Lloyd, Wiley Post, Oklahoma State Air Tour, Jackass Club, Oklahoma Air Patrol, Back Seat Driver’s Club, Martin’s V.V.O. Dog House, Good Will Fliers visiting Beaumont, Texas; Women’s Aeronautical Club, Jack B. Story, Keith Kahle, Navion Delux 205, tail number N8843H; aerial photograph of an estate, and Spanish Athletes of America.

The fifth series is the Memorabilia Series, which contains a trophy, a silk scarf with A. H. Anderson and wing emblem printed on all four corners, an Oklahoma Air Tour pin, a brass Quiet Birdmen membership card, and a W.N.A.A. Governor's Trophy, silver with spout and lid with an airplane attached to it. The trophy is dedicated to Edna Anderson for outstanding work in 1938-1939.