(Image: courtesy of Santa Barbara Library, Edson Smith collection)
WAY BACK WHEN WEDNESDAY - 100 years ago this week in Santa Barbara, the local paper announced that the city now had its first airport, which it called a "public aerial landing station." The location was on the grounds of the Belvedere Hotel, which had formerly been the Potter Hotel.
The local paper predicted, "Aviation, not merely for commercial, but for pastime purposes, is expected to become popular in the near future … it should not be long before people will be having their pleasure planes like they have their pleasure cars."