Real Estate Developer; Early Adopter of Business Aviation

The Culver family visited the Davis-Monthan Airfield five times between July 2, 1928 and December 7, 1929.  Thanks to one visitor to our site (see credit in the right sidebar), we are fortunate to have a fairly complete history of the Culver family, one of the airplanes they landed with at Tucson, NC/X9617, and the pilot who flew the airplane for the family, James B. Dickson. 

Harry Hazel Culver was an early California real estate developer and founder of Culver City, CA.  He served about a year as the president of the National Association of Real Estate Boards and was an active campaigner for Herbert Hoover.  In both of those capacities he logged thousands of air miles and made a name for himself promoting flight. 

This image of Harry Culver was taken when he was president of the National Association of Real Estate Boards. His Stinson-Detroiter is behind him.  He was at the beginning of a year-long tour of the Association's 624 member boards. 

Harry Culver was born January 22, 1880 in Milford, NE, and died August 17, 1946 in Hollywood, CA.  He married Lillian Roberts June 9, 1916.  They had one child, Patricia. 

The image below shows the Culver entourage with a porter (loading suitcase into compartment), and Western Union deliveryman in front of starboard side of plane.  The principals are, from left to right, Lillian (Roberts) Culver, Patricia Culver, pilot James B. Dickson and Harry Culver.  Note the boot shines and impeccable dress.  Can anyone identify the motorcycle?

Lillian (Roberts) Culver was born March 23, 1896 in Loveland, CO, and died September 23, 1999 in Los Angeles, CA.  She was an actress in silent movies before she married Harry Culver, and after his death she returned to acting on the radio, on the stage (Pasadena Playhouse), in several TV programs, and in some movies of the late 1950s and early 1960s.  Most of her TV and movie works are listed at her Internet Movie Database page.

Patricia Culver was born August 11, 1917 in Los Angeles and died there December 12, 2001.  She married John Allen Battle (Sr.) November 16, 1941.  They had two sons, one of whom is the father of Robert Battle (right sidebar), who has supplied the wonderful information and images you see on this page, and on the web pages for NX/C9617 and pilot Dickson. 

The image below shows the same group as above from farther away (whole plane and a couple of hangars visible).

Culver and Dickson visited Tucson in another Stinson Detroiter owned by Culver, NC1517. It was 9617, however, that they flew for the national tour on behalf of the National Association of Real Estate Boards.

Dossier: 2.3.10

UPLOADED: 09/10/06 REVISED: