North Texas is proud of its Rosie heritage, as evidenced by Rosie’s presence at the Vintage Flying Museum in Fort Worth. Located at Meacham Airport, the Vintage Flying Museum provides the experience of “working” exhibits with many of its antique aircraft and warbirds that still fly.
It also is the home of various displays honoring Rosie the Riveter and her contributions to US airpower during World War 2, including two beautiful sculptures that were commissioned and completed by sculptor Bob Pratt. One statue is on display along with the Rosie Wall of Honor on the hangar floor. The other sculpture is mounted on the wall inside the museum’s static displays.
The museum is also home to the first Rosie the Riveter Rose Garden in Tarrant County, a collaborative effort between the American the Riveter Association Fort Worth Chapter, the Vintage Flying Museum and the Fort Worth Rose Society.
In early 2019, Leslie Deese Garvis, Rosebud and President of the Fort Worth Chapter approached Museum Director, Chuckie Hospers, about building a Rosie Memorial Garden at VFM. “VFM seemed to be the obvious choice for a garden dedicated to the woman who built many of the aircraft on display at the museum” says Garvis. “In addition, the museum is run by a woman so what better place to represent the modern-day Rosie spirit”.
On July 12, 2019, the community came together to break ground on the Rosie Garden with the help of local Rosie Wilda Stephens. Wilda also helped plant the first Rosie the Riveter Rose on November 9, 2019, which also happened to be her 97th birthday. All the current Rosie the Riveter Roses in the garden are dedicated to a local Rosie and more will be planted this fall.
After a year and a half delay due to Covid, the garden was finally officially dedicated on May 15, 2021 with three local Rosies and their families in attendance. The Memorial Garden was created to honor and recognize the women who served our country as Rosie the Riveters, and especially those who served in North Texas. On July 8, 2023, the final piece of the garden vision was realized with the unveiling of an amazing Rosie the Riveter mural. The mural not only honors Rosies, but also features aircraft that were built right here in North Texas at places like Consolidated Aircraft, North American Aviation and Vought Aircraft. The mural was created by North Richland Hills artists Lisa Henson and her daughter Nicole Damon.
The Vintage Flying Museum is a unique “working” museum where visitors are able to see what it takes to “Keep ‘em Flying”and serves as a home base for five separate non-profit groups, all working to preserve America’s rich aviation history: Our American Rosie the Riveter Association – Fort Worth Chapter, Commemorative Air Force Invader Squadron, Greatest Generation Aircraft, PGM Aviation, and the Cowtown Skywarrior EA-3B Association.
Most of the Vintage Flying Museum’s aircraft are airworthy and fly on a regular basis for air shows and demonstrations throughout the year. We encourage anyone who loves for aviation history and Rosie, to pay the them a visit when in Texas! Visit their website (click here) for hours and more information. To learn more about the Rosie Garden and ARRA-Fort Worth Chapter, visit their website (click here).
