Lone Star Flight Museum will get new home

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The city of Galveston will be losing one of the most unique museums on the island. The Lone Star Flight Museum currently sits at Scholes Airport. It will soon be taking off for the mainland, bringing its warbirds and historic planes to Ellington Airport.

It's now part of the Houston Airport System, but a century ago, Ellington Field was a busy airstrip, and in World War I and World War II it was a military training field. During the Korean War, it was an Air Force base, perhaps where some of these pieces of history now housed at the Lone Star Flight Museum once landed.

Galveston's Lone Star Flight Museum has been on the island for 23 years, housing some 30 irreplaceable vintage aircraft. But now the museum plans to go to higher ground. In three years it should be at a new building at Ellington Field.

"That's kind of a heavy feeling to come to this decision, but ultimately you have to do what's best for what you're in business for, and we have to protect these airplanes," explained museum director Larry Gregory.

Three years ago, Hurricane Ike and its storm surge swept through the museum, creating $20 million in damages. History, says its director, cannot be allowed to repeat itself with another storm. So the museum will move inland. But there are other benefits.

"It's going to be a neat facility when we get it done," Gregory said. "The whole airport, I think, is going to be a great place to visit."

The new museum will have 13 acres of leased land to build on. The private warbird flights will continue.

Houston City Council agreed with the decision and approved the lease for the museum.

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galveston, ellington, local, deborah wrigley

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