WHEN STEPPING into the Beechcraft Heritage Museum, visitors are immediately transported into another time and place, filled with aircraft from the earliest days of aviation up to the present. Patrons can see the first Serial #1 Staggerwing plane, get hands-on experience with the UC-45J Cockpit Simulator, view Louise Thaden’s actual pilot certificate signed by Orville Wright, observe several “Around the World” Bonanza models, and take a look at a 2000 model Starship. These are just a few of the exhibits and planes this incredible museum offers. It is currently celebrating 52 years as a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving American aviation history through the Beech Aircraft Company legacy.
“We started in a two-room log cabin, and we’re now at 78,000 square feet with 38 aircraft,” said Jody Curtis, executive vice president of the museum, who has been with the organization since 1997. “We’re not just an aviation museum. We’re an American Aviation History Museum.” There are historical exhibits and a growing collection of artifacts to explore, including the impressive planes. It boasts a Women’s History section, highlighting notable female pilots who have made their mark in aviation.
The inspiration to create this museum, in fact, came from a challenge posed by a female aviation pioneer named Louise Thaden back in the 1920s. Thaden worked as a sales representative for Travel Air Company, co-founded by Walter Beech (for whom the museum is named). Mr. Beech hired Thaden, and, as part of her negotiated deal, she was offered free pilot lessons. She earned her pilot certification in 1928. She was such a huge proponent of Beechcraft’s Staggerwing plane that while promoting that particular aircraft, she challenged that someone should make a museum dedicated to preserving it. This famous aviatrix won many early flying competitions, even outdoing Amelia Earhart.
“She’s actually the first female in our country to win the 1929 Women’s Air Derby race. And yes, Amelia Earhart was in that race, but, no, she did not win,” said Curtis, an avid fan of Thaden’s.
Thaden’s vision to preserve the Staggerwing aircraft legacy finally materialized in 1973. The Parish Aerodrome and the local Tullahoma Bunch hosted the Staggerwing Club’s national fly-in, where the museum idea was discussed. John and Charlotte Parish donated the land and the Staggerwing Museum came to fruition. It was not until 2007 that the name was changed to the Beechcraft Heritage Museum, a moniker intended to reflect that the museum was expanding its scope to preserve the heritage of all Beechcraft airplanes and pilots.
One of Curtis’ favorite stories from the many exhibits is the love story between Walter Beech and his wife, Olive Ann.
“Their story is called ‘The Romance of the Opposites,’” Curtis said. “Olive Ann was a bookkeeper, and a very good one, and Walter was an entrepreneur and barnstormer pilot. They met at the Travel Air Company in the mid-1920s and married in 1930. But Mr. Beech would jokingly say, ‘I do the flying, and Annie cooks the books!’”
The couple built a multi-million-dollar aircraft company in the 1930s, which would have been impressive at any time, but especially during the Depression. The museum explores the couple’s successes and challenges and displays Beech family portraits and artifacts. Curtis holds this display dear to her heart.
The museum chairman of the board, John Parrish Sr., hired Curtis as his assistant in the late 1990s. This museum was a volunteer organization until the early 2000s. One of Curtis’ goals when she started working at the museum was to promote more and host more events on the property. She and the museum team reached out to other aviation communities and became more involved with the South Central Tennessee Tourism Association and the State of Tennessee Department of Tourism Development. Curits was challenged to market and curate all-inclusive messaging of the museum’s annual Fly-In Beech Party held in the fall: Oct. 9-11 this year.
“We have 900 people and 170-plus aircraft coming from all across the country,” Curtis said.
The three-day fly-in event allows pilots to fly and park their aircraft onsite, and there are tent and RV camping spots available. This year’s theme, “Generations of Flight,” celebrates over a century of aviation. The event requires over 60 volunteers, and Curtis encourages anyone interested in volunteering to please reach out through their website. The Fly-In Beech Party trans- forms the museum into a fun and inspiring event, with seminars, aircraft displays, and networking opportunities for pilots and aviation enthusiasts from across the nation. These events raise funds needed to continue growing and preserving aviation heritage for the community. The museum follows a unique policy: it matches every dollar spent on construction with endowment contributions, protecting the organization’s financial foundation while enabling growth.
The museum’s success stems from its dedicated team, including Curtis, Resident Director Sherry Roepke, President Charles Parish, and volunteers such as Les Marsh (director of restorations and preservation), Kirby Totty (curator), and Eddie Phillips (museum photographer).
“We have such a passionate, wonderful group of people. I look forward to coming into work every single day,” Curtis said. GN
Locals, visitors, and schools should visit the museum’s website at www.beechcrafthm.org to reserve tickets, field trips, and tours of this historic resource.
