April 2025
Meet Amelia Earhart, E.V. Graham and Other Historic Figures at Sky Harbor
This year, Phoenix Sky Harbor is celebrating a major milestone: the 90th anniversary of the city purchasing the airport. To mark the occasion, the Phoenix Airport Museum has unveiled a new exhibition, From Farm Field to Airfield, highlighting not only the airport’s past but paying tribute to the people – famous and unsung – who have left their mark along the way.
Located in Terminal 4 Level 3 west of the food court, the exhibition showcases the rich history of Phoenix Sky Harbor through captivating images, unique artifacts and life-size figures of individuals who helped shape the airport’s legacy. Visitors will find interesting objects, like the first sculpture ever donated to the Phoenix Airport Museum’s collection, the Sky Harbird (one of the original airport’s mascots) and construction materials representing the airport’s evolution.
Among the life-size figures are aviation pioneers like E.V. Graham, the first commercial airline pilot at Phoenix Sky Harbor, as well as Amelia Earhart, who landed in Phoenix throughout her career. The exhibition also highlights everyday people who’ve played a role in airport’s history — including the 10 millionth passenger to fly into the Airport in the 1960s, accompanied by the former City of Phoenix Mayor Milton H Graham.
Don’t forget to stop by, snap a few photos with these historic figures and share your experience with us at airport.museum@phoenix.gov.