Archives / Collections

Archives

Books, pamphlets, scrapbooks, news clips, government documents, audio tapes, photos, prints, slides, negatives including CD and DVD collections, plus hundreds of data files on aviation history make up the WAHF archives. (WAHF photo)

One facet of the WAHF mission statement states "collect and preserve the history of aviation in Wisconsin". That is certainly a daunting task for an all-volunteer organization but one that our founders believed in and worked at long before the Hall of Fame came into being.

During the research and writing of the book, Forward in Flight, a History of Aviation in Wisconsin, much material was collected. Thousands of interviews, photos, drawings, posters, scrapbooks, and other primary source material serve as the archives' foundation. Secondary sources within the archives include thousands of newspaper clippings, hundreds of books, and untold magazines. In addition, collections consisting of memorabilia, relics, artifacts, and other materials give WAHF what may be the most comprehensive aviation historical archive in Wisconsin. Other collections are certainly larger, none is as broad-based.

In other words, the WAHF archives do not contain everything about Wisconsin aviation history, nor do we have everything on any one person or subject, but we do have a little bit of information on just about every facet of our state's aviation history.

The archives continues to grow on an almost daily basis. Our most recent acquisitions include manuscripts, photos, slides, World War I memorabilia, videotapes, CDs and DVDs. 

See a sample

Collections
The collections portion of the WAHF archives is what makes our archives unique. Beginning before the organization was formed, our founders were gathering materials that serve today as the basis of our collections. The soliciting and gathering of suitable material continues today.

Materials are donated by WAHF inductees and others. Materials come to us from throughout Wisconsin and beyond our borders. Materials are both large and small in size, scope and value. All collected items are cataloged and preserved to meet one goal of the WAHF mission statement.

Donations / Loans
If you have items that you would like to donate (or loan) to the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame please contact Michael Goc at 608-339-7191. The Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame is registered as a 501(c)(3) organization for tax purposes.