History & Heritage
Airstream was founded in 1931 by Wally Byam. Since then, each decade has seen innovation in design, expansion of the community, and travel adventures around the globe.
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A Timeline of Airstream History
1930s -1950s
Airstream began with Wally Byam—a publisher, writer, engineer, and tinkerer—who built his first trailer in the late 1920s because his wife refused to sleep on the ground. He founded Airstream in Los Angeles in 1931, and in 1936 his riveted aluminum Clipper set a new standard: aerodynamic, lightweight, and modern.
World War II halted production when aluminum became a wartime material, but Wally’s aircraft industry experience refined his skills in lightweight construction and precision riveting. When Airstream reopened in 1947, demand soared, and Wally focused on marketing through adventure.
The 1950s brought bold experiments and global horizons. The first international Caravan to Mexico and Central America departed in 1951, proving Airstream’s durability. In 1952, Wally opened a distribution center in Jackson Center, Ohio—now Airstream’s home. In 1955, he enlisted his cousin Helen Byam Schwamborn to help foster the community and found an enthusiast club during the Canada Caravan to Nova Scotia. Today, the Airstream Club International is the world's longest running, single-branded RV enthusiast club.
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1960s -1990s
The 1960s began with loss—Wally Byam passed away in 1962, but his vision endured through his right-hand-men, Art Costello and Andy Charles. The 1963–64 Around the World Caravan fulfilled Wally’s dream of global Airstream travel.
Innovation surged at home. In 1969, Airstream unveiled its first major trailer redesign in 30 years and entered the space age when NASA used an Airstream Mobile Quarantine Unit for Apollo 11 astronauts—a moment that forever linked Airstream to exploration.
The 1970s brought growth and challenges: a new production facility (1971), the Argosy line (1972), and Airstream’s first motorhome (1974). But the gas crisis hit hard, leading Beatrice Foods to sell the company. In 1979, Wade Thompson and Peter Orthwein acquired Airstream, erased $13 million in debt, and formed Thor Industries. By 1980, all production was consolidated in Jackson Center—a tradition that continues today.
2000s - 2010s
Though Airstream had experimented with motorhomes in the past, the launch of the Interstate Touring Coach in 2004 was the beginning of a truly inspired collaboration with Mercedes-Benz®. The Class B RVs were built on Sprinter van chassis with capacity to seat several people, yet still feel like a motorhome with a full kitchen and bath. Those first Interstate coaches were the basis for today’s touring coach lineup.
In 2005, the Wally Byam Caravan Club International celebrated its 50th anniversary. From the first Central American caravan Wally led to his adventures across Europe with Neil Vanderbilt, from tours of the United States to trips to Africa and China, the WBCCI has spent half a century helping Airstreamers meet each other, form lasting bonds and memories, and travel the world safely and enjoyably.
The next year, Airstream itself had its 75th birthday. The silver bullet design has stood the test of time, and so has the riveted-aluminum construction. The company’s longevity is reflected in the products we build, with many still on the road even decades after they were built.