William I. Votaw began his career with the railway mail service and was promoted to the US Sea Post Service where he served until the advent of World War I. He established an American Expeditionary Force Postal Station in New York before entering the air mail service. In 1920 Votaw established the Ak-Sar-Ben air field in Omaha , Nebraska, and served as superintendent of the field, the base for the Chicago-Cheyenne segment of the transcontinental route. In 1921 he was appointed Assistant Director of the International Postal Service and in 1929 became Superintendent of Mails for the new United States Lines.

NASM.2000.0052

Votaw, William I.

1921-1983

Suzanne W. Todd, Transfer, 2000, 2000-0052, unknown

0.68 Cubic feet ((1 legal document box) (1 slim legal document box))

No restrictions on access

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Clippings

Newsletters

Biographies

Manuscripts

This collection consists of several manuscripts by William I. Votaw relating to the infancy of the air mail service. Also included are biographical information relating to Jack Knight, Richard Byrd and William McCandless, copies of the Air Mail Pioneers newsletter as well as a large amount of newspaper clippings.

Clippings

Newsletters

Biographies

Manuscripts

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests

Byrd, Richard Evelyn, 1888-1957

Knight, Jack

McCandless, William

Votaw, William I.

National Air and Space Museum Archives