Heritage | Airstream History

Since 1929 and throughout the entire history of Airstream, Wally Byam's dream has been realized through people who inspire, adventure, and Live Riveted. Heritage 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s The1920s TheoriginalAirstreamer AirstreamfounderWallyByamwasbornontheFourthofJuly,1896,inBakerCity–aboomtownalongtheOregonTrail,whichhisgrandparentshadtraveledinamule-drawnwagonontheirjourneyoutwest.Hegrewupworkinghardwithhisuncleonasheepfarm,wherehelivedinawoodenwagon,towedbyadonkey–muchlikehisgrandparentshad.Insidethewagonhehadastove,food,water,andeverythingheneeded,whichwouldlaterinspirehisfirsttraveltrailer. "Aprettygoodbusinesstogetinto" AfterworkingtosupporthimselfthroughcollegeandgraduatingfromStanfordin1921,Wallyworkedinjournalism,advertising,andpublishing.HeandhisfirstwifeMarionwentcampingregularly,butsheneverenjoyedsleepingonthegroundinatent.Soin1929,WallyputtogetheratentcontraptionontopofaModelTchassis.Itwasmobile,butitwasn’talotoffunintherain,anditwasachoretoputtogether.Hewentbacktothedrawingboardandreplacedthetentwithateardrop-shapedpermanentshelter–andaddedastoveandicechest,too.ItwasapropertraileranditcaughttheeyeofsomanyothertravelersthatWallydecideditmightbe“aprettygoodbusinesstogetinto.”Goodthinghedid. Wally'sEarlyLife LoadMore The1930s Fromhobbytobusiness Afterbuildinghisowntraveltrailer,soonWally's neighborsstartedaskinghimtobuildtrailersforthemliketheoneinhisfrontyard,andheobliged.Noisecomplaintsquicklyfollowed,soWallyrentedabuildingandopenedasmalltrailerfactoryinCulverCity,Californiain1931–Airstream’sfirstfactory.Theysoonrelocated,buttheAirstreamdreamwasborn. Trailersboom–thenbust WhenWallyByamopenedthefirstAirstreamfactoryinCalifornia,therewerefewerthan50trailermanufacturersregisteredforbusiness.Inthenextfiveyears,demandforthetrailerlifestyleexplodedandtheindustryfollowedsuit–by1937,therewerearound400manufacturerscompetingforcustomers.Unfortunatelyformanyofthosedaringentrepreneurs,theGreatDepressionandWorldWarIItookatoll,andtoday,onlyAirstreamremains. Lifestyle LoadMore The1940s Thewaryears WhentheUnitedStatesenteredWorldWarIIaftertheattackonPearlHarbor,aluminumbecamehardtocomeby.Infact,thegovernmentorderedthattraveltrailerscouldonlybemadeaspartofthewareffort,notforpublicrecreation.WallysawAirstreamsasamodeoftravel–notasubstituteforahouse–sohedecidedtocloseupshop.Forthedurationofthewar,WallyandmanyAirstreamcrewmembersfoundemploymentinvariousaircraftfactoriesinCalifornia.TheexperiencetheygotfromworkingonmilitaryplaneswouldendupservingAirstreamquitewellatwar’sendindeed. TheCurtisWrightClipper AsWorldWarIIdrewtoaclose,WallyByamwasworkingasacertifiedmanufacturingengineerandproductionsupervisoratCurtisWrightIndustries.Whenthewarendedin1945,WallypersuadedthemanagementatCurtisWrightIndustriestolethimmanufacturealineoftraveltrailerscalledtheCurtisWrightClipper,similartotheAirstreamClipperinmanyways,butimprovedwithWally’snewmanufacturingknow-how. Battle-testingontheroad In1947,WallyleftCurtisWrightIndustriesandbeganmanufacturingtheAirstreamLiner.Thenextyear,WallywenttoEuropewithhisfriendCornelius“Neil”Vanderbilt,Jr.totourthewar-ravagedland.Neil’sgoalwastofilmpostwarEuropeforlecturetours,butWally’swasallforAirstream.TheytraveledthecontinentinanAirstreamtrailer,andWallywantedtoroadtestthetrailertofindweaknessesthatneededfixing,aswellasimprovementsthatcouldbemade.Thismaynothavebeentheplanatthetime,butthetripwouldendupasaprecursortotheAirstreamcaravansthatwouldfollowinlateryears. Lifestyle LoadMore The1950s ThefirstAirstreamcaravan In1951,WallyByamdecidedtotravelwithagroupoffriendsfromTexastoNicaragua.Whenamagazinepickedupthestory,heinvitedotheradventurousAirstreamerstojoininthe LosAngelesTimes.Heexpectedabout35trailerstoshowup;hegot63.Thefirstcaravanwasn’tthesmoothridetoday’sAirstreamersareusedto–nearlyimpassableroadsandbadweatherledtoequipmentfailures,andmanytravelersdroppedoutearly.Only14completedthetrip,andWallysaidhe’dneverdoitagain.Luckilyforallofus,thatvowlastedonlyayear. Movingeast By1952,AirstreamhadoutgrownitsLosAngelesplantanddesperatelyneededtoexpand.RatherthanstayingontheWestCoast,WallytraveledeasttoscoutlocationsacrosstheMidwest.HespentasummerlookinginIndiana,Illinois,andOhiobeforefindingafactoryforsaleinJacksonCenter,Ohio.WithNeilVanderbiltontheboardandAirstream’sobvioussuccess,fundingwaseasytofind,andsoonWallyhadhisidealsecondlocationlockeddown.Anditturnedouttobeagreatchoice–morethansixty-fiveyearslater,AirstreamisstillmakingtrailersinJacksonCenter. Necessityisthemotherofinvention Whenyou’reconstantlytryingtopushtheenvelopeontheroad,youneedtoinnovate.AspeopletookAirstreamtrailerstonewandmorechallenginglocales,theyneededmore.AndWallyByamfosteredthat,urgingpeopletocreatewhattheyneededwhenitdidn’talreadyexist.In1954,heconvincedMarkBowenofBowenWaterHeaterCo.todevelopthefirsthotwatersystemeverinatrailer.The1958AirstreamInternationalwasdevelopedasthefirst-ever“self-contained”traveltrailer–onewithfullfreedomfromexternaltrailerhookups,likeoutsidesourcesofpower.Withnewcapabilities,Airstreamscouldgofartherforlongerthaneverbefore. Lifestyle LoadMore The1960s Alegendpasses Afterbattlingcancerwithhistrademarktenacity,WallyByampassedawayonJuly22,1962.HeleftbehindanAirstreamcompanyatitspeak,workingtomeetthedemandthatWally’sdreamsandhardworkhadcreatedfortravel,adventure,andexperiencingtheworldfirst-hand.Asforasuccessor,ArtCostellowasformerlythePresidentofAirstreamTrailers,Inc.ofCaliforniaandAndyCharleswasformerlythePresidentofAirstreamTrailers,Inc.ofOhio.AfterArtbecameAirstream'sPresident,AndywasvotedChairmanofAirstream'sboard. Refiningtheshape In1969,theAirstreamtrailerhaditsfirstmajorredesigninover30years,withaninternalfaceliftaswellasexteriorandstructuralchanges.TheendresultwasanAirstreamwithrounderedgesthatfurtherenhancedthedistinctive“silverbullet”shape.Itevenaddedafootoflengthandfourinchesofwidth.ItwasabigsteponthepathfromWally’sfirsttrailertotheoneyouseeontheroadtoday. Outofthisworld Whenhumansfirstvisitedthemoonin1969,itwasfearedthattheastronautswhowalkedonitssurfacemightbringbackdiseaseorothermaladieswiththem.NASAtookeveryprecaution,anditwasdecidedthattheApollo11triowouldbequarantinedupontheirsafereturn.Airstreamwastaskedwithconstructinga“mobilequarantinefacility”thatcouldbetakentothe USSHornet,whichwouldgreetNeilArmstrong,BuzzAldrin,andMichaelCollins.There’sevenafamousphotoofPresidentRichardNixonspeakingtothetriofromoutside. Lifestyle NASA LoadMore The1970s Spreadingout ForthefirstfourdecadesorsoofAirstream’slife,wewereexclusivelyatraveltrailercompany–WallyByamhadthoughtseveraltimesaboutdiversifyingandproducingamotorhome,buteachtimedecidedagainstit.In1974thatallchanged.Withleadershipwantingtoavoidbeingentirelydependentononeproductforrevenue,theArgosymotorhomedebuted.Salesweremodest,andtheArgosylinewouldbediscontinuedin1979.ButthewilltoinnovatewouldliveoninlatermodelsliketheClassicmotorhome,theLandYachtmotorhome,andtheInterstatetouringcoach. Comingbacktogether Inthelate1950s,AirstreampurchasedfouracresinJacksonCenter,Ohio,nearourMidwestfactory.In1971aseedwasplantedthere,andfromitgrewtheworld’smostmoderntrailermanufacturingfacility–150,000squarefeetintotal.AsarecessionandtheMiddleEastgascrisishitAmericandrivershardinthelate1970s,itdidthesametoAirstream.WiththeexpansionoftheJacksonCenterfacilityandaneedtoconsolidate,Airstreamfinallymadethemoveeastcomplete.TheCaliforniaplantwasclosedin1978,andallmanufacturingandexecutiveoperationswouldmovetotheOhiocomplex–wheretheyremaintoday. Lifestyle LoadMore The1980s Venturingtonewlands TheWallyByamCaravanClubInternationalhasbeenaroundsincethe1950s,andinthe1970sand80stheyheldnumerousralliesandcaravansaroundtheworld.In1985,acaravanofAirstreamersmadeAirstreamhistorybytravelingthroughChinafortheveryfirsttime.  Undernewmanagement AirstreamleadershiphadbeeninfluxforyearsafterthepassingofWallyByam,withcontrolofthecompanychanginghandsseveraltimesinthenextfewdecades.In1980,stabilitycameonceagain.WadeThompsonandPeterOrthwein,ownersofHi-LoTrailers,sawthemarketstartingtopickupandmovedtoformanewcompany,ThorIndustries,andacquireAirstream.Andthatassociationcontinuestothisday,overthirtyyearslater. Becominganicon ThedesignandbeautyoftheAirstreamtrailerhavegaineditmanyadmirers,andafterdecadesoftouringtheroadsandcampsitesofAmerica(andtheworld),it’sgonefrombeinganodditytoatrueAmericanicon.Oneexample?In1987, MoneymagazinechosetheAirstreamtraveltrailerasoneof“99ThingsThat,Yes,AmericansMakeBest”alongsidetitansofAmericanindustrylikeCoca-ColaandHeinz ketchup. Lifestyle LoadMore The1990s Inwiththeold WiththequalityandlongevityofAirstreamandourtrailers,oftenanindividualtrailercanstillfindgreatusefordecadesorevenlonger.Inthelate80sandearly1990s,interestinolderAirstreamsbegantogrow,includingrestoringthemtotheiroriginalgloryandrenovatingthemtomixvintageandmodernstyles.Tomeetthisdemand,in1993anewchapterwithintheWallyByamCaravanClubInternationalwasformed,appropriatelynamedtheVintageAirstreamClub.Tojoin,ownershavetohaveatrailerthat’satleast25yearsold. Inwiththenew InadditiontohonoringAirstream’srichhistory,the1990ssawarededicationtonewergenerationsoftravelers.Toattractyoungerbuyers,anewversionofthe1950sSafaritraveltrailerwasintroduced.Withacost20percentlessthanitscontemporaries,itwaseasiertoaffordwhilemaintainingthequalityAirstreamdemands.Andbecauseitweighed20percentlessthanatraditionaltrailer,itcouldbetowedbylightervehicles.Itwasahit,andquicklyabouthalftheAirstreamsbeingsoldwereSafaris. Theoldbecomesnew Asforthenewtrailersrollingofftheline,ithadbeensince1969thatanymajordesignchangehadbeenmade.In1994,Airstreamundertookitsfirstmajorredesigninalmost30years,withsubtlechangestotheprofileandstructurethatresultedinalarger,morecomfortabletraveltrailerwhilemaintainingperformance–andtheiconicAirstreamshape.Andby1996,Airstreamaddedaboutfive-and-a-halfinchesinwidthtotheentiretraveltrailerlinealongwithanoverhauloftheinteriordesign.  Lifestyle LoadMore The2000s Anewtakeonmotorized ThoughAirstreamhadexperimentedwithmotorhomesinthepast,thelaunchoftheInterstateTouringCoachin2004wasthebeginningofatrulyinspiredcollaborationwithMercedes-Benz®.TheClassBRVswerebuiltonSprintervanchassiswithcapacitytoseatseveralpeople,yetstillfeellikeamotorhomewithafullkitchenandbath.ThosefirstInterstatecoacheswerethebasisfortoday’stouringcoach lineup. Ahalf-centuryofcommunity In2005,theWallyByamCaravanClubInternationalcelebratedits50thanniversary.FromthefirstCentralAmericancaravanWallyledtohisadventuresacrossEuropewithNeilVanderbilt,fromtoursoftheUnitedStatestotripstoAfricaandChina,theWBCCIhasspenthalfacenturyhelpingAirstreamersmeeteachother,formlastingbondsandmemories,andtraveltheworldsafelyandenjoyably. Seventy-fiveyearsontheroad Thenextyear,Airstreamitselfhadits75thbirthday.Thesilverbulletdesignhasstoodthetestoftime,andsohastheriveted-aluminumconstruction.Thecompany’slongevityisreflectedintheproductswebuild–in2006,65%oftheAirstreamsthathadbeenbuiltsinceWallyByam’sfirsttrailerwerestillontheroad.Infact,someofthoseagedwarriorsincludedsomeoftheonesbuiltfromthefive-dollarplansWallysoldbeforethefirstfactorywasevenopen. Lifestyle LoadMore The2010s Changingastravelersdo Whiletoday’stravelersareinspiredbythesamekindofwanderlustandcuriosityasourfounderWallyByamwasalmost100yearsago,thewaytheywanttotravelcontinuestochange.Andit’sourjobtokeepourfingeronthepulseofthosechanges.Infact,inresponsetoagrowingnumberofpeoplewhowantallthecomfortsofhomewithouttowingalargetrailer,twoofournewestadditionstothetraveltrailerfamilyaresmallerandnimblerthanever:theBasecamp (arevivaloftheoriginal)andtheNest. Controlfromyourphone Today,wecancontroleverythingwithoursmartphonesanddevices.AndweexpectourRVexperiencetobenodifferent.In2018,AirstreammadethatexpectationarealitywithSmartControlTechnology.2019ClassicTravelTrailermodelscomewiththetechnology,whichpairswithanapptoletyoumonitorandadjustmanyofthefeaturesinsideandoutsidethetrailer,includingthelights,awning,tanks,battery,andmore.ReadmoreaboutSmartControlhere. Anewheadquarters In2018,webrokegroundonourfirstnewplantinmorethan50years.Ournew750,000-square-footheadquarterswillstayrighthereinJacksonCenter,Ohio.Thenewfacilitieswillgiveusmorespace,moretools,andmorestorage,prioritizingthequalityandcraftsmanshipwe’reknownfor.Plus,it’llcreatejobsandboosttheeconomyinacommunityweknowandlove.Readmoreaboutthenewheadquartershere. 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