Gorst, Vern C., 1876-1953

A Pacific Northwest adventurer and transportation pioneer, Vern Centennial Gorst (1876-1953) was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 1888, the Gorst family relocated to the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington State. From an early age, Gorst displayed an entrepreneurial spirit and a fascination with transportation. As a young man, Gorst spent several successful years prospecting in Alaska during the gold rush. He returned to Puget Sound to invest his gold earnings in the arena of transportation. Over the next several decades, Gorst set to work building a number of transportation companies, with his focus eventually shifting to aviation. In 1925, Gorst's interest in flying won him a bid for the first contracted airmail service between Seattle and Los Angeles. Gorst would create other companies, including Seattle Flying Service, Gorst Air Transport, Barnes and Gorst Air Mail and Victoria Air Mail.