Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Meewis, Adrian Ontario International Airport (Calif.) Los Angeles (Calif.) Department of Airports
- Abstract:
- Extent:
- 15 linear feet
- Language:
- Preferred citation:
-
Adrian Meewis Collection. Ontario City Library, Robert E. Ellingwood Model Colony History Room
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This collection consists of materials collected by Adrian Meewis during his 35 year fight against airport noise. Materials include correspondence, municipal documents including environmental impact reports, noise studies, and city reports, minutes from community groups and committees, miscellaneous newsletters, brochures, and other ephemera, and newspaper clippings.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Adrian Meewis came of age hiding from the Nazis in his native Holland. He immigrated to Ontario in 1947 and attained his U.S. citizenship in the early 1950’s. Taking to heart the judge’s admonition to “get involved,” he began attending city council meetings and soon became aware of Ontario International Airport’s growing pangs. By 1954, he maintained that the noise from aircraft taking off from the Ontario International Airport was disrupting his life. He began to accumulate noise studies and reports, and attend numerous city, county and regional meetings held on the subject of airport noise. For the next 35 years he fought against the airport’s noise, wanting its operations removed to Norton AFB in downtown San Bernardino. He helped form a citizen’s committee of homeowners that initiated a seven year lawsuit against the Los Angeles Dept. of Airports. Early on in the lawsuit, Mr. Meewis and his committee rejected an initial settlement offer from LAX. After a long fight the committee finally settled, unfortunately garnering less than half of that initial offer from LAX. In 1989 he gave up the fight and moved to quieter Calimesa, Ca. He donated 69 binders documenting his fight against the airport noise and other city affairs to the Model Colony Room on April 25, 1989. He died three years later in 1992.
- Acquisition information:
- Donated by Adrian Meewis on April 25, 1989.
Indexed terms
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Collection is open for research during the posted operating hours of the Robert E. Ellingwood Model Colony History Room or by appointment. Please contact the history room in advance for access.
- Terms of access:
-
Collection open for research.
- Preferred citation:
-
Adrian Meewis Collection. Ontario City Library, Robert E. Ellingwood Model Colony History Room
- Location of this collection:
-
215 East "C" StreetOntario, CA 91764-4111, US
- Contact:
- (909) 395-2206