There are some places that are so special that the moment you visit them, you feel right at home. These are places that make you feel like you belong there, even if you have never been before. The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in Red Hook, New York, is one of those places. I first visited this unique living museum years ago on a cold winter morning during a business trip to New York City and promised myself that I would return one day. More than ten years had passed since that brief, frigid visit before I finally had the opportunity to go back in late September. Creating a place like the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome takes a very special kind of person — a visionary and a doer. That person was Cole Palen. From his earliest days, Palen was fascinated by the stories of the Great War and the brave airmen who flew the fabric-covered fighters of that era.
A wonderful introduction to this remarkable man was written by his friend E. Gordon Bainbridge in the book The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome: The Story of Cole Palen and His “Living” Aviation Museum. Bainbridge wrote: “Since the days of Icarus’ ill-fated airborne adventure, man has been irresistibly drawn to the concept of flight — of freeing himself from his earthly tether. There were, of course, early attempts with balloons, but it was not until this century — a scant three-quarters of a century ago — that the ancient dream approached reality. Now there are flights to the Moon and to Mars, which are inclined to make one blasé about the whole thing, but even such space flight was made possible through the dedication and vision of men like the Wrights, Blériot, and Curtiss, and the spirit of men like Lindbergh and Rickenbacker. Cole Palen, of Rhinebeck, New York, from his youth, was caught up in the romance and adventure of the early days of aviation. He had a dream of recreating an old aerodrome and of creating a museum — not a silent hall full of dusty cases, but a living museum — to celebrate those days. With a lot of enthusiasm and very little money, he began. He soon had a small but dedicated group of volunteers who, together with Palen himself, worked to make the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome a reality. There, on a Sunday afternoon, the spectator can see Sopwith, Fokker, and Blériot aircraft flying, soaring, and performing. And they are authentic down to the smallest detail. The Aerodrome is a very special kind of ‘living museum,’ and the people responsible for its existence are very special people. They are dreamers. But then, hasn’t flying always been a dream?”
A Vision Brought to Life
Creating a place like the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome required an extraordinary visionary—James Henry “Cole” Palen. A pilot, showman, and passionate historian, Palen dedicated his life to bringing aviation’s pioneering era back to life. Born in December 1925 in Pennsylvania, Palen moved with his family to a poultry farm near Poughkeepsie, New York, beneath the flight path of a local airfield. Watching aircraft from the Golden Age soar overhead, he developed an early fascination with flight, building stick-and-tissue model airplanes and dreaming of the skies. His first ride in a New Standard D-25 biplane would later inspire him to share the same open-cockpit thrill with thousands of others. After serving in the infantry during World War II, Palen returned home determined to pursue aviation. While studying flight and aircraft mechanics at Roosevelt Field on Long Island, he discovered that the school’s small aviation museum was being dismantled to make way for commercial development. Seizing the moment, Palen bid on several historic World War I aircraft—and to his surprise, won six of them. Over the course of nine laborious round trips, he moved the fragile collection to his family’s chicken coops, where restoration work began.
The Birth of a Living Museum
Palen financed his restorations through a day job at Texaco while flying from Stormville Airport. His enthusiasm became local legend—especially after a forced landing placed him squarely in a nearby prison garden. Film work on Lafayette Escadrille helped fund his next step: purchasing an abandoned farm in northern Dutchess County for back taxes. With the help of dedicated volunteers, Palen carved a runway out of three rocky fields and built hangars from rough-cut lumber. By 1960, curious spectators began to arrive, prompting Palen to stage “demonstrations” that soon evolved into full-fledged airshows. These performances combined early aviation history with theatrical flair. The airplanes were the stars, but Palen’s colorful cast—Sir Percy Goodfellow, Trudy Truelove, and the villainous Black Baron—brought the stories to life. Palen’s mix of authenticity and entertainment made Old Rhinebeck unique. Unlike static museum displays, the Aerodrome’s aircraft actually flew. Every weekend, spectators could witness Sopwiths, Fokkers, and Bleriots take to the skies—each one meticulously restored and historically accurate.
Building a Legacy
In 1967, Palen married Rita Weidner, whose organizational skill and business acumen strengthened the Aerodrome’s foundation. Together, they expanded the museum’s facilities and collection, transforming Old Rhinebeck into America’s first flying museum dedicated to antique aircraft. Even after suffering a stroke in 1993 that ended his flying days, Palen’s determination never waned. He established the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Foundation to secure the museum’s future. Palen passed away peacefully in Florida, and Rita continued their shared mission until her death in 2002. Today, the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum preserves and operates the Palens’ remarkable vision, maintaining more than 80 vintage airplanes, along with antique automobiles, motorcycles, and aviation memorabilia.
The Spirit of Early Flight Lives On
From May through October, the museum welcomes visitors to its static displays and weekend airshows. On Saturdays, the “History of Flight” program highlights aviation milestones from the Pioneer Era through the 1930s, while Sundays feature the ever-popular “World War I Dogfight Spectacular.” These shows include historical reenactments, pyrotechnics, and the museum’s own World War I tank—complete with heroes, villains, and plenty of audience participation. The flying collection includes the 1909 Blériot, the oldest regularly flying airplane in the Western Hemisphere; a faithful reproduction of the Fokker Dr.I Triplane, the Red Baron’s iconic mount; and a precise replica of Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, the first aircraft to fly nonstop from New York to Paris in 1927. Typically, between 15 and 20 aircraft are airworthy and rotate through the performance lineup.
A Lasting Influence
Cole Palen is remembered as one of the great pioneers of vintage aviation preservation. His enthusiasm helped ignite a movement that saved countless early aircraft and artifacts from obscurity. The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome remains a living tribute—not only to the dawn of flight but to the passion and persistence of one remarkable man. Now his legacy lives on thanks to the fine folks and volunteers who run America’s first flying museum of antique aircraft. Visit www.oldrhinebeck.org for more information and to support the mission.
