JACKSON CENTER – Jackson Center’s Airstream is a lasting travel trailer business that realizes its beginnings with founder Wally Byam.
After reading a do-it yourself magazine article on plans for constructing a travel trailer, Byam set out to create his own model. Owning a magazine, Byam used it to publish his own article describing how to build an improved trailer for less than $100, and Wally began selling sets of plans for $5. Soon, in response to demand, he was building improved versions of his trailer in his backyard in Los Angeles.
In 1934, Byam introduced the name Airstream because his improved trailers cruised down the road like a stream of air. In July 1952, the lease was signed for a facility in Jackson Center to serve the eastern market. By August the first Ohio- made Airstream rolled off the production line, and the California factory was moved to larger facilities in Santa Fe Springs. Today all of Airstream operations are located in Jackson Center, Ohio. We operate out of 11 buildings over 600,000 square feet situated on 88 acres.
Airstreams aren’t just on the road, they are found in both the Smithsonian Institution and the Henry Ford Museum. An Airstream trailer was selected by NASA to house the first astronauts back from the moon, and every astronaut that went up in a space shuttle mission was transported to the launch pad in an Airstream Motor Home.
Airstream is located at 420 W. Pike St., Jackson Center. Call 937-596-6111 for more information.
