The Passenger Terminal building (illustrated) was converted to a Post Office Facility when the 1950 Era terminal was constructed. It had either the first Control Tower or one of the earliest (Pictured).
Early Movies were filmed there and it hosted many aviation pioneers from Wiley Post, Amelia Ehrhart, Captain Eddie Rickenbacher,Charles Lindbergh and many others.
It boasted Terrazzo Floors (Installed during the FDR era). And Art Deco Architectural Decor.
When you were standing on the Mail Dock facing the Area that at one time was the boarding area. Aircraft on approach were so slow and so close that they were with a stone's throw above our heads.
After Terminals A ,B,& C were operational. The old Terminal Building was Sliced into three sections and moved near the 1950's era control tower for use as a museum.
The interior was supposed to have been renovated to locate and recover some overpainted depression murals.
I was with Eastern Airlines more than 25 years and I was fortunate to have been in all of the Terminals of all Three Era's.
Very interesting stuff! Thanks, Dick. I remember taking the bus and hanging out on the observation deck, checking out the DC-3s and Constellations, before A, B & C were built. Gee, I feel old!
Starting in 1953 I and a couple guys from EO used to hang out at the NJANG base near the older control tower and Flying Tiger Lines hangars. We were in the control tower in 1957 the day John Glenn, flying an F-86E Sabre made his transcontinental speed record (3 1/2 hours from coast to coast- that's some serious smokin'). We listened in to the conversation between him and the tower controllers. Once in awhile we're a witness to history-making events, even if they only last a week.
I also remember my dad taking me to the airport when
we lived on No. 14th Street (around 1954-5) to see
the DC's 3-5-8-10, I seen em' all. Hey JC, is the
old terminal museum open now?
