Portal of the Folded Wings
Designed by Kenneth A. MacDonald, Jr. and sculptor Federico Augustino Giorgi, the Portal of the Folded Wings Shrine to Aviation in Burbank, a 75-foot tall ornate structure of marble, mosaic, and sculpted figures, was originally built as the entrance to Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in 1924. After the Union (now Burbank) Airport was built in 1930, aviation enthusiast and park employee James Gillette conceived the idea of dedicating the building to honor those who achieved major advances in the early days of aviation. On December 17, 1953, on the 50th anniversary of flight, the building was officially dedicated to “The Honored Dead of Aviation.” It has become the final resting place for pilots, mechanics and other pioneers of flight with plaques on the wall honoring those buried elsewhere. The Portal of the Folded Wings is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Burbank, Los Angeles County
Photographer: Lonnie Ross