Charles Short

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Charles "Charlie" Short was the first airport manager at the Tulsa Municipal Airport (now Tulsa International Airport).[1] In the right place at the right time, Short was working for oil baron William G. Skelly when Skelly and others signed a "stud horse note" that provided the financing needed to acquire land and construct the airport's first terminal building. Short was named the first airport manager, a job that he would hold until his death.

Interest in Short's career has been recently revived with the display of his impressive collection of photographs of aviation personalities. As airport manager, Short made it his business to personally greet any arriving celebrity. Often he would have them pose with him for a photo, which he would have immediately printed so that the celebrity could sign it before leaving Tulsa.[2] After his death, Short's collection was mounted on large display boards and was displayed in the airport terminal. In recent years, the faded boards and damaged photographs were entrusted to the Tulsa Air and Space Museum for preservation. Short's collection includes rare photographs of Wiley Post, Amelia Earhart, Will Rogers, Charles Lindbergh, Art Goebel and others.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Cantrell, Charles: Oklahoman Wiley Post Flew Faster, Farther, Higher, Greater Tulsa Reporter.
  2. ^ Wall, Holly: Out There, Urban Tulsa Weekly, December 13, 2006.