There was also a tribute to their Native Daughter, Helen Byam Schwamborn.

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Tamsin Evans
5 years ago
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The Baker Heritage Museum celebrated their Native Son, Wallace Merle Byam during the year. The Oregon Unit of the Wally Byam Caravan Club, International held a rally to celebrate the event.

1 The Baker Heritage Museum celebrated their Native Son, Wallace Merle Byam during the year. The Oregon Unit of the Wally Byam Caravan Club, International held a rally to celebrate the event. Wally Byam was born in Baker City, Oregon on July 04, The Rally was held for several days, including the Fourth of July. It was Wally s 115 th birthday. There was also a tribute to their Native Daughter, Helen Byam Schwamborn. Several hundred items were donated to the Museum from the Estate of Helen Byam Schwamborn, and personal items of Dale Pee Wee Schwamborn. The entire exhibit has been moved from the main exhibit hallway to a permanent display area on the second floor. This is the largest artifact display for Wally Byam, Helen Byam Schwamborn, Airstream, Caravans, and the Wally Byam Caravan Club. Good history! Baker Heritage Museum, Baker City, OR

2 Portrait Painting of Wally Byam There is a real story behind this painting. It was done by the designer that was in charge of several fiberglass Airstreams, and interior shells and bathrooms made from fiberglass.

3 Wally Byam's Great Coat Wally is seen in quite a few pictures wearing this coat. It protected him from the cold and the oversized pockets horded a myriad of gadgets. He had it tailored in Los Angeles in 1954.

4 Show Case Area #1 This area contains many personal items of Wally Byam s, and a cabinet celebrating his cousin Helen Byam Schwamborn, organizer of the Wally Byam Caravan Club, International.

In another location is a single Airstream Torpedo original blueprint.

5 Airstream Airlite Blueprints & Display On the wall you will notice original blue prints from the 1930 s. This is a complete Airstream Airlite set. In another location is a single Airstream Torpedo original blueprint. The June 1957 National Geographic article covering the 1956 Wally Byam Caravan to Europe.

Undoubtedly the most comprehensive account of Wally Byam

6 Always a conversation piece, the Wally Byam whiskey bottle. Wanderlust, Airstream at 75, by Russ Banham. Undoubtedly the most comprehensive account of Wally Byam and Airstream. It dispels many inaccuracies from other writings. Good Read!

7 One of Wally s famous cowboy shirts has a relative story with Clark Gable. The license plate belonged to Helen Byam Schwamborn s Airstream. Tribute cases for Helen Byam Schwamborn. (Helen Elmore Byam)

8 Central Display Case 1 Many personal belongings of Wally Byam. Wally s Rolex Watch from Aden, his 1956 BMW Isetta, WBBCI incorporation seal 1957, some interesting tales about the watch and Isetta.

9 Worry beads from the Middle East and North Africa, Isetta models, and memories of Holland and Wally and Neil Vanderbilt Jrs trip to Europe. Wally s European Map Book, various pins collected in Europe, squaw boots, early manual calculator.

10 Various gauges and equipment belonging to Wally Wally Byam Caravan to Mexico and Central America 1st Caravan

11 1956 Wally Byam Caravan to Europe The wood bowl was given to Wally by Hans Knobel in 1958, from early trips to Europe Wally and Hans became friends. Hans Knobel and family are well known as the Westphalia Werke, the converters of VW vans into camping vehicles.

12 Wally Byam Caravan to Africa, drum, bow, pygmy arrows from the Belgian Congo.

13 Wally s work stool from his home office, and a Dutch street organ from 1956

14 1959 Pygmy spear for hunting elephants, you don t want to know the method. The jerry cans were used to carry water in the good ole days for filling up your water tanks.

15 The original Wally Byam s Creed as sent to dealers to display. Caravanners, Wally, Helen Byam Schwamborn collected flags from nations, cities, and locals. This is something Wally picked up when he attended his first International Trailer Rally in Europe, 1953.

16 Larger national flags were also displayed.

17 The Jack Rabbits were a group of Airstream owners that loosely met after meeting of several of the early Caravans. In 1955 this dedicated group of Airstream owners asked Wally if they could form an all Airstream Club. It happened when the Club was formed in Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada in The pictures are various photographs from the life of the Airstream.

Wally s Early Caravans

Wally s Early Caravans Much of what we recognize as WBCCI today came from the experiences on Wally Byam s early caravans. These caravans were a learning experience for Wally as well as the caravanners.