For more information please contact Nicole Wahlberg, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Evergreen Aviation Museum, 503-434-4006 or email nicole.wahlberg@ sprucegoose.org.

FOR RELEASE

April 14, 2006

A Piece of Oregon’s Willamette Meteorite Returns to Oregon

And Joins Evergreen Aviation Museum’s Collection

MCMINNVILLE, Ore – Fri., April 14, 2006—The meteorite, originally found on a West Linn, Ore. hillside and sold to a New York City Museum in 1906, will return 100 years later, in part, to its Oregon beginnings. The Evergreen Aviation Museum will soon display a portion of Oregon’s famous Willamette Meteorite.

With recommendation from Oregon Congressman David Wu, Evergreen International Aviation owner and founder Delford M. Smith purchased a piece of the famed meteorite at Bonhams Auction House in New York City on Tues. and donated the artifact to the Museum on behalf of the Evergreen family of companies.

“We plan to showcase this wonderful artifact among other aerospace pieces in our second Museum building, which is in development,” said Katherine Huit, director of collections. “The building, set to begin construction in early 2007, will house space artifacts including an Apollo Lunar Module Space Vehicle, a moon rock and a Titan II Missile.”

The Museum’s 4.5-ounce, 7.5-inch piece is part of the 15 ½-ton, 10-foot whole, the largest meteorite found in the U.S. and the world’s sixth largest. The remainder is on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

“Unsuccessful efforts have been made to bring the meteorite home to Oregon, making this even more momentous for our Museum,” said Huit. “We feel privileged to have it in our collection.”

About the Evergreen Aviation Museum & IMAX^® Theater:

The Evergreen Aviation Museum is best known as the home of the world's largest wooden airplane, the Spruce Goose, the world’s fastest spy plane, the SR-71 Blackbird, and the Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat. In addition, there are more than 80 historic aircraft and exhibits on display, along with aviation art, traveling displays, the Spruce Goose Café and the newly remodeled Rotors, Wings & Things museum store. Opening in 2006, the Evergreen IMAX^® Theater will offer 232 auditorium seats to view 2D and 3D films on a six story tall screen. Programming follows its mission to present entertaining and educational films that engage audiences while supporting the Museum’s mission to promote and preserve aviation history. The Evergreen Aviation Museum's hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except when it is closed for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's. Visit the website for the future Theater schedule. The Museum and IMAX Theater are located at 500 NE Captain Michael King Smith Way, across the highway from the McMinnville Airport and on Highway 18, about three miles southeast of McMinnville, Ore. Regular visitor admission is required. Call (503) 434-4180 for more information, and visit www.sprucegoose.org.

About Evergreen International Aviation:

Evergreen International Aviation, Inc. is a portfolio of five diverse aviation companies headquartered in McMinnville, Oregon.  With international operating authority and a network of global offices and affiliates, Evergreen consists of an international cargo airline that owns and operates a fleet of Boeing 747s, an unlimited aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul facility, a full-service helicopter company, an aircraft ground handling company, and an aircraft sales and leasing company.  In addition to these endeavors, Evergreen owns and operates Evergreen Agricultural Enterprises and is headquartered near the not-for-profit Evergreen Aviation Museum, home of the Spruce Goose. For more information about Evergreen, please call (800) 472-9361 or visit www.evergreenaviation.com.

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