Who says you have to take a trip to Europe to see historic architecture? You can now take the family to southeast Houston to see the most recent historic marker in the city.

From Houston Municipal Airport to Houston International Airport to William P. Hobby Airport (HOU); it is better known today as the 1940 Air Terminal Museum and it’s always been a significant part of Houston’s aviation history. And, now the city’s 81 year old building is being recognized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) as a Historic Aerospace Site.

“The 1940 Air Terminal Museum is an amazing sight to see everyday at Hobby,” says Mary Case, Hobby Airport manager. “Today, Hobby Airport is a bustling airport that continues to grow and when you look over a little to the southeast and see the 1940 Air Terminal Museum, what the airport started as, you realize how much aviation has grown in Houston.”

Built in the early 1900s, the 1940 Air Terminal Museum is recognized as a rare remaining example of classic art deco airport architecture. Designed by architect Joseph Finger and built by the Works Progress Administration, the building features the distinct design elements of that age including step forms, sweeping curves and intricate geometrical patterns and motifs.

Opened on September 28, 1940, the original airport was Houston’s gateway to the world, and served the fleets of Braniff Airlines and Eastern Air Lines.

It remained Houston’s primary air transport airport until 1954, when the city’s government ordered the construction of the new Houston International Airport, later renamed in 1967 to the William P. Hobby Airport, after the 27th Governor of Texas, William P. Hobby, Sr.

In 1978, Hobby Airport manager James Delong proposed demolishing the 1940 Air Terminal building to expand ramp space for Hobby Airport, but the efforts of aviation enthusiasts in the Houston area ultimately prevented the demolition.

AIAA established the Historic Aerospace Sites Program in January 2000 to promote the preservation of and the dissemination of information about significant accomplishments made in the aerospace profession.