Pancho Barnes was not only a world-class aviatrix, she was a darned-good business woman. After creating the Rancho Oro Verde out of a run-down alfalfa farm in Muroc (now Edwards Air Force Base in Cailfornia) in 1935, Pancho added a drive-in, fly-in hotel, an FAA-regulation airfield, a dance hall, and a very popular pool to create the world-famous Happy Bottom
Riding Club. Here’s a sampling of the most popular of the many Happy Bottom Riding Club membership cards. I’ll begin a series this weekend on the Rancho Oro Verde and the Happy Bottom Riding Club, with more artifacts from the archive, and a few tall-tales!
