When the first Civil Aviation regulations went into effect, old war-surplus airplanes that barnstormers were using to give rides with had to be replaced.  The Gates Flying Circus which preferred the Standard J-1 to the Curtiss "Jenny" sought a "new" standard.

The D-25 was designed expressly for the barnstormer by Charles Day.  It was easy to fly, operated out of the smallest fields with its big, high-lift wings, featured a rugged wide-stance landing gear for rough farmer’s fields and used modern (1928) construction techniques.  Best of all it doubled the payload of the "old" Standard with room for four paying passengers instead of two per flight.  An aggressive pilot could carry up to 40 passengers an hour.

The airplane on exhibit was built in 1937, after the rights to the design were sold White Aircraft.  It was assembled at at the Schenectady County Airport in New York by Ben Jones Inc.