KATHERINE YAMADA
The private landing strip and airplane hangar built by L.C. Brand,
directly below his estate in what is now northwest Glendale,
attracted a lot of attention from aviation buffs in the 1920s.
Fliers such as Eddie Rickenbacker, Frank Hawks and Jimmy
Doolittle, along with celebrities Mary Pickford, Tom Mix and Cecil B.
DeMille flocked to Brand's estate to sign the guest book and enjoy
the well-stocked saloon in the club house, according to Judy Brand,
who published a Brand family history in 1992.
Early in the spring of 1921, Brand sent out invitations for an
"aviation luncheon." No one was to be admitted unless they came by
airplane. Army and Navy officers, as well as other local fliers, were
invited to the April 1 affair.
The invitations had a picture of the Brand airstrip, with a T
marking the spot where planes were to land. An accompanying map
instructed fliers on how to find the narrow runway and make a
landing.
The Glendale Evening News kept readers up to date as plans for the
party progressed, announcing late in March that James W. Horne of
Valley View Road had been granted exclusive rights to take motion
pictures of the novel luncheon.
On the morning of the event, airplanes began landing on Brand's
air strip.
Pilot G.C. Budwig, flying Brand's plane, escorted the first
arrivals to the somewhat treacherous runway, which was uphill and
lined with eucalyptus trees.
Motorists drove up to watch the proceedings, and Horne and other
photographers documented the arrivals.
The pilots thrilled onlookers with a display of stunts before
landing.
Nearly 100 guests sat down for lunch. "The luncheon will go down
in history as one of the greatest bits of publicity Glendale might
desire," the Glendale Evening News pontificated. "The visitors were
all delighted with the beauty of the Verdugo foothills, and
undoubtedly many similar events will be held." The party lasted until
4 p.m., and the pilots gave another air show as they flew off.
Just a few days later, Brand entertained again, this time inviting
40 people to view Horne's two-reel film record of what was described
as America's first aviation luncheon.
It was shown at the Glendale Theatre with actresses Mary Miles
Minter and Ruth Roland, who had also been at the fly-in, on hand.
Even Brand was astonished when the London Illustrated News ran a
full-page picture story describing the event.
The Glendale Press, reporting on the British story, commented that
it "is not surprising that so beautiful an example of a rich man's
pastime in the air should be coveted by the great London paper.
Not often does an aviation field have such a picturesque setting,"
adding their thanks to Brand for giving Glendale worldwide publicity.
* KATHERINE YAMADA'S column runs every other Saturday. To contact
her, call features editor Joyce Rudolph at 637-3241. For more
information on Glendale's history visit the Glendale Historical
Society's web page: www.glendalehistorical.org; call the reference
desk at the Central Library at (818) 548-2027; or call (818) 548-2037
to make an appointment to visit the Special Collections Room at
Central. It is open by appointment only.
