Tony Page Papers

This collection contains personal papers, business records, court documents, private and business correspondence, documents, clippings and magazines, photographs and slides, newsletters, press releases, moving film, reel-to-reel as well as audio cassette tapes, original cartoons, brochures, advertisement, flyers, ephemera, memorabilia, prints, awards, minutes, by-laws, notes, listings, directories, reports, charts, speeches and narratives, maps, graphics, time-tables, certificates, and other materials that were created and/or collected during Tony Page’s life and as editor and publisher of the Cross Country News journal. The Tony Page Papers are housed in seventy-six manuscript boxes, one half-size manuscript box, and five non-standard boxes of various sizes totaling 35.44 linear feet.

The collection arrived in numerous accessions dating back to the beginning of the History of Aviation Collection (HAC) at The University of Texas in Austin in the early 1970s. When the HAC archives were moved to The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), the materials already accumulated were sent there as well. The major accession, however, was at UTD in 1981. The collection arrived in fair condition, however, original order could not be reconstructed thus the archivist had to impose order. Well into the project, more materials belonging to the collection were found that had to be incorporated in the already exiting processing plan.

The curator identified fifteen series with the first series being the Personal Series. Materials in this collection contain brochures and correspondence regarding the beginning of the HAC program at The University of Texas in Austin as well as correspondence regarding Page’s donation to the HAC. Tony Page’s vita can be reconstructed through photographs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, narratives, and personal legal documents in addition to speeches, manuscripts, and rough drafts of articles that she wrote. The awards that she received are very well documented through photographs and newspaper articles. Of interest is a collection of clippings about Page’s life in Box 2, Folder 3. A large amount of photographs that were sent to Cross Country News for possible publication including business records can be found here as well as. Some images are of celebrities.

The second series is the Correspondence Series reflecting the written record between Page in her function as a publisher and others regarding fan posts, subscription, and publication matters of Cross Country News.

The third and most important series regarding the journal is the Cross County News Series, which encompasses correspondence, notes, clippings, receipts, ephemera, blackouts, dope sheets, proposed articles, financial records, calendars with handwritten notes by Page, advertisements, and brochures. The documents reflect the request for advertisement and subscription matters of the journal. The photographs have in part captions and cropping instructions attached on the back. Topic of these images are women in aviation, women as models for advertisement, commercial and military airplanes, celebrities and famous personalities from the aviation industry, politics and show business. The majority of these images were published in the journal.

The fourth series is The Helicopter World Series, which holds various newsletters, correspondence, ephemera, clippings, photographs, speeches, memoranda, notes, public relation materials in conjunction with the publication of The Helicopter World. Of interest is the Application of a Claim to Copyright to The Helicopter World that Page published briefly.

The fifth series is the Women in Aviation Series, which is further organized into five subseries: 1. Women Air Races, 2. Other Air Races, 3. Women in Aviation, 4. The Ninety-Nines, Inc. and W.A.S.P., and 5. The Whirly Girls.

Subseries 1. covers important local, national, and international air races such as the All Woman Transcontinental Air Race also known as the Powder Puff Derby, the Annual All Woman Skylady Derby, the All Woman International Air Race, the S.M.A.L.L. Air Race, the Dallas Doll Derby Air Race, the All Texas Air Tour, air races hosted by the Ninety-Nines, Inc., and other air races which Tony Page covered in her journal or participated in. Materials are photographs, clippings, correspondence, participant listings, pamphlets, brochures, flyers, programs, results, itineraries, press releases, press kits, participation rules, and ephemera.

Subseries 2. includes mostly national air races such as the Greater Miami Air Race, the Lander-Jackpot Air Race or the National Championship Air Races to name a few. Materials are photographs, clippings, correspondence, participant listings, pamphlets, brochures, flyers, programs, results, itineraries, press releases, press kits, participation rules, and ephemera.

Subseries 3. contains correspondence between famous aviatrices - namely, Delphine Bohn, Grace the Ace, Edna Gardner White, and others and Tony Page - as well as photographs, newsletters, clippings, speeches, biographical information, radio messages, press kits and press releases, flight plans, articles and narratives, brochures, notes, and ephemera.

Subseries 4. comprises photographs, press releases, fact sheets, brochures, forms, articles by Page, newsletters, by-laws, minutes, biographical sketches, membership rosters, reports, and agendas. Of interest is a narrative about the history of the Ninety-Nines, Inc. organization and the Wright Flight Dinner. Pioneer Pilots of Texas and Oklahoma sponsored by the Ninety-Nines, Inc. audio tape. The W.A.S.P. materials include photographs, press releases, résumés, notes, correspondence, rosters, and articles.

Subseries 5. holds correspondence, minutes, press releases, roster, reports, forms, newsletters, photographs, minutes, directories, and clippings. Of interest is the Disposition: Superior Court of the State of California: Paul J. Flannery and Dorothy W. Flannery, Plaintiffs versus Brantley Pacific Helicopters, Inc., Whirly Birds, Inc., Jay C. Roberts, Doe I-VIII, Defendants in Box 28, Folder 1.

The sixth series is the Manufacturer Series, which contains mostly photographs of commercial airplanes and business jets with models, pilots or other individuals from the aircraft industry. It also includes some newsletters, notes, brochures, narratives, correspondence, press releases, flyers, press kits, prints, and clippings. To a lesser extent, one can find images of military aircraft, and aircraft engines.

The seventh series is the Helicopter Series, which encompasses photographs, press releases, biographical information, correspondence, membership information for the Helicopter Association of America, notes, articles, speeches, clippings, brochures, advertisement, pamphlets, fact sheets, charts and listings, and directories.

The eighth series is the Aircraft Engine Series containing photographs, articles, brochures, advertisements, narratives, newsletters, approach charts, correspondence, personnel roster and other listings.

The ninth series is the Aviation in General Series, which is further organized in twelve subseries: 1. Airline, 2. Airmail, 3. Airports, 4. Air Races, 5. Air Shows and Conferences, 6. Associations, 7. Biographies, 8. Clubs and Conferences, 9. Manufacturers and News Stories, 10. Publications, 11. Training, and 12. Shell Oil.

Subseries 1. holds photographs, press releases, passenger checklist, charts, brochures, statistics, newsletters, annual reports, maps, graphics, schedules, biographical information, information sheets, and notes.

Subseries 2. contains mostly ephemera and articles as well as first day covers. Of interest is an article by C. V. Glines: The Somewhat Mixed up Events of our very first Air Mail Flight.

Subseries 3. includes photographs, ephemera, programs, speeches, notes, press kits, zoning rules and ordinances, press releases, brochures, flight schedules, articles by Tony Page and others, aviation board listings, newsletters, aeronautical charts, correspondence, memoranda, and clippings.

Subseries 4. comprises photographs, press kits, press releases, articles, score, participation, and result listings, ephemera, clippings, first day covers, and regulations.

Subseries 5. contains photographs, correspondence, press roster, brochures, press releases, articles, clippings, flyers, brochures, biographical information, ephemera, catalogs, press kits, magazines, reports, newsletters, directories, listings, advertisement, notes, and charts.

Subseries 6. holds, photographs, flyers, programs, newsletters, press releases, press kits, schedules, memorabilia, correspondence, listings, clippings, reports, directories, and ephemera.

Subseries 7. encloses photographs, correspondence, press releases, articles, flight schedules, itineraries, clippings, charts, indictment, ephemera, notes, biographical information, and narratives. Of interest are the manuscripts of Will C. Garret and R. D. Garrett, articles by William Ong, as well as images about Roscoe Turner. Other personalities included are Wiley Post, Burrell Tibbs, Grover Tate, and Pancho Barnes.

Subseries 8. includes photographs, press releases, correspondence, charts, programs, listings, minutes, by-laws, brochures, flyers, speeches, clippings, notes, newsletters, membership rosters, membership index cards, forms, reports, insignia, and ephemera.

Subseries 9. contains, photographs, correspondence, membership directories, minutes, press releases, reports, clippings, newsletters, press kits, notes, listings, brochures, articles, presentations, telegrams, instruction sheets, news wires, accident reports, fact sheets, magazines, posters, court verdicts, court orders, dispositions, transcripts of telephone calls, and other court papers. Of particular interest are the documents and audio tape regarding the alleged corruption scandal about the Umbaugh Aircraft Corporation.

Subseries 10. covers not only publications from various government agencies, namely the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), but also books, articles, clippings from magazines, newsletters, and Cross Country News, covering for example the Jet Commander Round-the-World Flight or the Al Mooney bankruptcy and many other topics regarding aviation. Interesting materials include articles, clippings, brochures, correspondence, membership rosters, charts, press releases, and photographs regarding the Texas Agricultural Aviation Association or agricultural aviation in general.

Subseries 11. includes photographs, historical sketches, curricula, and press releases.

Subseries 12. contains photographs of air survey in cartoon format and actual aerial photographs of Monument Valley and the Colorado River as well as surveying facilities and people.

The tenth series is the UFO’s Series housing photographs of possible UFO sightings, advertising, correspondence, notes, listings, articles, calendars, ephemera, flyers, newsletters, programs, essays, calendar of sightings, magazines, transcripts, narratives, brochures, symposia information, and a large amount of clippings.

The eleventh series is the Press Release Series, which also contains photographs, press releases, and press kits. Topics covered include general and commercial aviation.

The twelfth series is the Clippings Series covering all aspects of aviation.

The thirteenth series is the Humor Series comprising booklets and ephemera, notes, correspondence, and clippings. Of interest are the jokes that were submitted and considered for publication in the Cross Country News. However, the cartoons – mostly originals from the artists, a large part of which are from Walter Phillips and Gerard Provenza – are the most important part of this series.

The fourteenth series is the Memorabilia Series containing only a few items.

The fifteenth and last series is the Multimedia Series containing the Out of the Wing Tip radio broadcast and the press conference of Centerline. Most tapes are reel-to-reel and unidentified. The moving image depicts Cruise Missiles.

The photographs are the strength of this collection, which amount to about 7,000 in addition to the articles, clippings, and press releases. Though mainly aviation related, the Tony Page Papers cover a wide variety of research topics such as Women's Studies, women as owners of businesses, and women in advertisement or journalism. The collection can also be used for local Fort Worth or Texas history.