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Tillack (Coralie Hewitt) Collection
URB.CHT
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Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives
Title: Coralie Hewitt Tillack Collection
Identifier/Call Number: URB.CHT
Extent:
1.76 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1930-1987
Abstract: In 1956, Coralie Hewitt Tillack began
her 26-year employment with Lockheed Air Terminal in Burbank, California. Starting as a
telephone switchboard operator and later transferring to Field Operations, Coralie was
captivated by the history of the first million-dollar airport constructed in the United
States, and gathered material to write a column for the company newspaper. Over the years,
Coralie accumulated a large collection of newspaper clippings, magazines, books, and
photographs, along with her notes from personal interviews with many of the airport's
longtime employees. In 1982, she retired to write her own story of the airport, and her
manuscript,
Once Upon an
Airport, was copyrighted in June 1987. The collection documents
her work in writing that history.
Language of Material: English
Born in Colorado on August 6, 1920, Coralie Hewitt came to California in 1939 after
completing two years at Texas A & M University. Soon after her arrival in California,
she enrolled in night school and graduated from Beverly Hills Secretarial College. In 1956,
Coralie began her 26-year employment with Lockheed Air Terminal which is located in Burbank,
California. Starting as a telephone switchboard operator and later transferring to Field
Operations, Coralie was captivated by the history of the first million-dollar airport
constructed in the United States, and she began gathering material to write a column for the
company newspaper. Over the years, Coralie accumulated a large collection of newspaper
clippings, magazines, books, and photographs, along with her notes from personal interviews
with many of the airport's longtime employees. In 1982, she retired to write her own story
of the airport, and her manuscript,
Once Upon an
Airport, was copyrighted in June 1987. Later that year, she
generously donated her fine collection to the Urban Archives.
The Hollywood-Burbank Airport opened its doors to the public on May 30, 1930 with a
spectacular three-day celebration. At that time, it was named "United Airport," and it
encompassed an area of 240 acres which had been purchased and developed by Boeing Air
Transport, later known as United Aircraft and Transportation Corporation. In 1934, United
Airlines, a subsidiary of the Corporation, merged with several other commercial airlines
that had been operating out of the Grand Central Terminal in Glendale, and the airport was
renamed "Union Airport." In a brief history of the airport, Coralie Tillack tells us that,
"Under the ownership of United, the airfield was a mecca for the golden age of aviation, the
time of the Lindberghs, Amelia Earhart, Wiley Post, and Howard Hughes. They all touched down
on the field to set the first flight records of speed, altitude, and distance, and to fly
the airplanes that became as famous as the pilots who flew them into history."
The Lockheed Aircraft Corporation purchased the airport in 1940 and renamed it the
"Lockheed Air Terminal." Under Lockheed, the airport was expanded to 500 acres and the
runways were lengthened. It became one of the four leading airports in the country. A quote
from Coralie Tillack's manuscript tells us that during the war years, "...Lockheed Air
Terminal assumed a dual role accommodating military flights from all over the world, and at
the same time, served as the major commercial landing field in the Los Angeles area." With
the opening of Los Angeles International Airport in 1946, Lockheed Air Terminal suffered a
dramatic setback when the majority of the major airlines moved their operations to the
Inglewood facility. In the ensuing years, however, the airport proved its ability for
survival as it became the largest privately-owned airport in the United States. It was
utilized for air cargo and aviation fuel services, and became the site for movie and
television filming. In recent years, it has become the center for local service airlines.
After a major fire in 1966, the terminal was reconstructed and modernized and was given the
new name, "Hollywood-Burbank Airport," and today services an area of more than three million
people. In 2004, the airport was again re-named in honor of Bob Hope and is called the Bob
Hope-Burbank Airport.
The
Coralie Hewitt Tillack Collection contains articles,
ephemeral items, historical sketches, manuscripts, newsletters, newspaper clippings,
photographs, reports, research papers and related items documenting Mrs. Tillack's work
writing her history of the Burbank Airport. It has been divided into four series:
Tillack Manuscript (June 1987),
Late News
Newsletter
(1962-1986), and
Research Files (1930-1987),
and
Photographic Material (1930-1987).
Series I,
Tillack Manuscript, contains a copy of the final
typed manuscript draft of "Once Upon An Airport" by Coralie Hewitt Tillack. Included within
the manuscript are numerous copies of photographs documenting the history of Burbank
Airport. The manuscript is arranged by page number in five file folders.
Series II,
Late News Newsletter, includes issues of the
Lockheed Air Terminal newsletter, edited by Mrs. Tillack from 1969 until her retirement in
1979. There is almost a complete set of newsletters for this period with various issues
before and after her work as editor. The newsletters are filed in chronological order.
Series III,
Research Files, contains historical documents and
sketches, newspaper clippings, public relation fact sheets and related published material
gathered together by Mrs. Tillack during her research into the history of Burbank Airport.
Materials are filed in alphabetical order.
Series IV,
Photographic Material, consists of airport
photographs, including opening day ceremonies, aerial views, interior and exterior scenes of
the terminal,aircraft, airport employees, and notable avaiation personalities. This material
is arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series I: Tillack Manuscript, June 1987
Series II: Late News Newsletter, 1962-1986
Series III: Research Files, 1930-1987
Series IV: Photographic Material, 1930-1987
Digital reproductions of selected items in this collection are available electronically as
a part of the
San Fernando Valley History Digital Library
.
The collection is open for research use.
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of
this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge.
Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials
protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires
the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any
use rests exclusively with the user.
For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style
manual, or see the
Citing Archival
Materials
guide.
Robert G. Marshall, Mary L. Harem; September 1991
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Ephemera
Documents