Being an obsessed Pac Rat and a rabid collector
of stuff it was only natural that upon my entry into ballooning in 1970
that my acquiring volumes of stuff relating to Lighter Than Air was inevitable.by Brian Boland
Being an obsessed Pac Rat and a rabid collector
of stuff it was only natural that upon my entry into ballooning in 1970
that my acquiring volumes of stuff relating to Lighter Than Air was inevitable.
Part of my reasoning for purchasing a nifty "go back in time" 50 acre antique grass strip airport nine years ago was that this beautiful place had the space potential for a healthy life times collecting of stuff. Right from the onset I had a vision of building a museum on the airport property.
The theme for this museum, Just Imagine, was inspired by a couple of Museum storage facilities I had visitedone in Cardington, England, the other The Paul E. Garber facility, in Suitland, Maryland, lots of dusty, rusty old stuff. Just Imagine.
In the summer of 1996, Louise
and I decided to look into building this museum on the airport grounds.
This was to create, in part, a noble resting and display space for what
had grown to a hefty collection of lighter-than-air stuff. We staked out
a 40 by 200 feet addition to the main building, applied for permits from
the town and made some calls for some quotes for the excavation of this
area. At this point we hesitated, decided that we would put off even thinking
of a museum for a few days, and we went away. We just weren't sure if we
wanted to commit ourselves to this large building... so imagine our surprise
when we returned to find that the project had started without us... someone,
one of the excavators, had dug out the foundation work... and so the museum
began.
With the target for the building
completion being set as the Experimental Balloon and Airship Meet in the
middle of May, 1997, we set about building this two storied structure.
Louise, myself and a nucleus of a few others spent all of last fall and winter working on the museum's design and construction and shoveling snow off the project. We literally finished the building as the Experimental Balloonists showed up Friday May 16, for the Balloon Meet. With their help we saw the scrap materials disappear, tools stashed and all my balloon stuff from the main hanger moved into the new building. As the heavens opened up, many of the balloonists backed their vehicles up to the six main arched doors and moved their own experimental gear into the museum and put it on display for the weekend. Within an hour of the buildings completion we had an instant museum.
We've since spent this past summer
and fall filling the museum. Within the building. on the first floor, an
initial collection of 55 experimental and a number of type certified Balloons
and Airships and their components has grown to over 60 examples. This growing
collection plus some two dozen antique, classic, and custom built balloon
related vehicles, a number of record setting experimental craft, aerial
oddities, a collection of ancient burner development, experimental successes
and failures and lots of old interesting worn, rusty, dusty pieces make
up the collection. The Experimental influence and my own love/obsession
with ballooning is the overriding influence within the museum.
The building serves as a club
house and back drop for the Experimental Balloon and Airship Association.
Yes, its my hangout also. Technically the museum is private, this
is because of extensive, expensive requirements by the State to make it
public. Requirements that were also very contrary to the design of the building.
The contents are readily view able as we have separated the large Dutch
doors across the front of the building so the top half stays open with a
convenient shelf to rest upon while you peruse the great stuff in the building.
If you wish an escorted, story filled tour call us first to make sure we are there. We will share with you our life and place of dreams, Just Imagine.
Experimental Balloon and Airship
Museum, 16,000 plus square feet, 60 plus Balloons and Airships, 24 other
antique, classic, one off and special interest vehicles. A.K.A. The balloon
House at the Post Mills Airport. PO Box 51, Robinson Hill Rd, Post Mills
Vermont, 05058. Director/Owners Brian and Louise Boland. This is a private
Museum - the six front Dutch doors are left open most of the year so folks
can look in most anytime. Give us a call first for a more personal tour:
(802) 333-9254 There is no admission fee. Donations or loans of old dusty
rusty stuff are always accepted, cherished and appreciated.
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