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View from the balcony of the main waiting room at the municipal airport, Washington, D.C. Photo by Jack Delano, July 1941. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8a36309

Come Fly With Me – Part Two

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Last week, we started a compare/contrast journey through Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia via photographs taken by Jack Delano in July of 1941 for the Farm Security Administration and by me in April of 2024. Our journey concludes this week with four more picture sets.

First up is an exterior shot:

View of the front of the airport building. Municipal airport, Washington, D.C. Photo by Jack Delano, July 1941. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8c06402
Washington National Airport. Exterior. Photo by the author. April 2024.

Let’s return to the waiting room, to a staircase that in 1941 led to a soon-to-open restaurant:

Stairway leading to dining room (not yet completed) at the municipal airport in Washington, D.C. Photo by Jack Delano, July 1941. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8a36407
Washington National Airport. Historic Lobby, view of staircase. Photo by the author. April 2024.

This may be my favorite set:

Entrance to the waiting room at the municipal airport, in Washington, D.C. Photo by Jack Delano, July 1941. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8a36239
Washington National Airport. View toward Historic Lobby. Photo by the author. April 2024.

The final set needs a little explanation. In 1941, there was a balcony in the waiting room that allowed for panoramic views of the airfield. The balcony is no longer accessible.

View from the balcony of the main waiting room at the municipal airport, Washington, D.C. Photo by Jack Delano, July 1941. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8a36309
Washington National Airport. Exhibit Hall, Glass Balustrade display. Photo by the author. April 2024.

I took this photo in the exhibit hall, which is adjacent to the historic lobby at National Airport:

The caption reads:

Glass Balustrade

Rediscovered in 1997, this glass panel was originally part of the Waiting Room mezzanine balustrade. The etched Art Deco design combines federal symbols, such as an eagle and shield, with the Wright Brothers’ biplane. The CAA initials refer to the Civil Aeronautics Administration, the precursor of today’s Federal Aviation Administration.

You can now see the glass panel photographed by Mr. Delano as well as other airport memorabilia in the exhibit hall.

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Comments

  1. I love this series. For a while it seemed that all of my flights were leaving out of the historic terminal. I wish I had spent more time exploring it and learning more of the history.

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