The Pancho Barnes Trust Estate Archive contains photographs, negatives, letters, as well as film, voice recordings, pilot logs, court and legal papers, depositions, bank checks, master recordings of her songs, and other materials documenting the life and times of Pancho Barnes. The good news is that, evidently, Pancho never threw anything away. Despite the fact that some of her personal belongings and all her flying trophies burned in the fire at the Happy Bottom Riding Club, there remains over 90 file boxes of her personal papers. Because Pancho had a secretary most of her life, the Archive more often than not contains both sides of her correspondence (ie: letter to Pancho, and her reply).

As the result of more recent acquisitions, the Archive contains several hundred vintage photographs by famed Hollywood photographer, George Hurrell. Pancho Barnes encouraged the young Hurrell to pursue his photography, and was responsible for getting him started in Hollywood by introducing him to her Hollywood friends and promoting his artistic talents.

The Hurrell photography holdings span the artist's entire career, from his days as a painter in Laguna Beach, California until his last work on a TV documentary highlighting his career. The Pancho Barnes Trust Estate Archive collection of Hurrell photography was assembled through the acquisition of the famed Chapman Collection and other collections. The Hurrell collection also contains several vintage Hurrell photographs of Pancho Barnes and her family that had long been owned by the Pancho Barnes Trust Estate. The Pancho Barnes Trust Estate Archive collection of Hurrell photography is arguably the best in the world in terms of breadth and quality, and contains images that have been exhibited in museums around the world.

The Pancho Barnes Trust Estate Archive recently acquired key aspects of the archive of Cliff Henderson, founder of the National Air Races. The materials relating to Clifford Henderson include photos, personal letters from numerous pioneers of early aviation, and correspondence and financial documents relating to the 1929 and early 1930's National Air races. The Henderson materials also contain extensive documentation of early glider contests. Other materials in this collection includes a red and black checkered flag that flew from the pylons during the 1929 National Air Races, as well as the original artist drawn artwork for the National Air Races logo.

Please note: Documents, especially letters to Pancho Barnes and other personal papers, signed checks, including correspondence and membership applications for the 'Happy Bottom Riding Club' that come up for sale were most probably stolen from this archive shortly after Pancho Barnes passed away in 1975. This material is rightfully the property of the Pancho Barnes Trust Estate. There is no statute of limitations regarding stolen property. Please report any information to us regarding personal papers pertaining to Pancho Barnes that you may be aware that exist outside the Archive. Pancho Barnes Enterprises will investigate and prosecute to the full extent of the law for the recovery of stolen property belonging to the Pancho Barnes Trust Estate. Tipsters will remain anonymous. Any tipster will share in any monetary reward of damages. Pancho Barnes Enterprises will sign a 'finders fee' contract with any tipster to insure that the tipster shares in any monetary award. Our interest is in retrieving all aspects of the Archive for historical preservation purposes. In the future, the Pancho Barnes Trust Estate Archive will be donated to a California based museum or University. This great American character's history should not be lost nor improperly dispersed.

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