Washington National Airport

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National Airport History

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Although the need for a better airport was acknowledged in 37 studies conducted between 1926 and 1938, there was a statutory prohibition against federal development of airports. When Congress lifted the prohibition in 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt made a recess appropriation of $15 million to build National Airport by reallocating funds from other purposes. Construction of Washington National Airport began in 1940–41 by a company led by John McShain. Congress challenged the legality of FDR's recess appropriation, but construction of the new airport continued.

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Terminals and facilities

Terminal A

Designed by architect Charles M. Goodman, terminal A opened in 1941 and was expanded in 1955 to accommodate more passengers and airlines. The exterior of this terminal has had its original architecture restored, with the airside facade restored in 2004 and the landside facade restored in 2008. The terminal underwent a $37 million renovation that modernized the airport's look by bringing in brighter lighting, more windows, and new flooring. The project was completed in 2014 along with a new expanded TSA security checkpoint. In 2014, additional renovations were announced including new upgraded concessions and further structural improvements, the project was completed in 2015. Terminal A contains gates 1–9 and houses operations from Air Canada Express, Frontier, and Southwest.

History of National Airport

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The Beginning

Between 1926 and 1938, Congress produced reams of debate transcripts and 37 committee reports on the need for a new airport, but no action was taken. In the Fall of 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced at a press conference that he was "tired of waiting for Congress" to select a site for the new airport, and said that it would be built on mudflats on a bend of the Potomac River at Gravelly Point, 4 ½ miles south of Washington, D.C. Two months later, on November 21, 1938, the first ceremonial shovelful of dirt was moved to signal the start of construction.

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The Terminal Building

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On September 28, 1940, two years to the day of the site selection, President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the terminal building at the dedication ceremony. National Airport’s designers faced a difficult problem. How would they create the most modern of facilities while honoring the spirit of classic architecture of the Nation’s Capital and the colonial history of the site? The design, reminiscent of nearby Mount Vernon, represented a unique attempt to create a “modern” structure while still integrating architectural references to the Colonial and Neoclassical style. An observation terrace allowed visitors a spectacular view of the airfield. Over 2 million people visited the airport during the first year, including 344,257 actual passengers.

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The Bumpy Road to Washington National Airport

5/3/2018 / in DC, Virginia / by Laura Castro Lindarte



Washington National Airport Terminal in July 1941, about a month after it opened. The location of the airport was debated in Congress for 12 years. (Source: Library of Congress)

The early 20th century was marked by the fast emergence of air travel. Only two decades passed between the Wright Brothers’ first flight in North Carolina in 1903 (and subsequent training flights in Arlington, Virginia and College Park, Maryland) and airplanes being advanced enough to fly over the Lincoln Memorial dedication in 1922. A few years later, Charles Lindbergh captured the attention of the world when he flew across the Atlantic.

With the world in motion, a modern, accessible, airport quickly became a necessity for any major city, and Washington was no exception.

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Aerial view of the Gravelly Point site. Before the airport could be built, 20 million cubic yards of sand were pumped into the site. (Source: Library of Congress)

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President Roosevelt looking over the plans for the new airport in Gravelly Point. Roosevelt announced that the airport would be built in 1938, ending 12 years of debate. (Source: Library of Congress)

The Gravelly Point site was chosen because it was close to the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway (now the George Washington Memorial Parkway), it provided easy access to/from Capitol Hill across the Potomac, future expansion was possible, and the site was surrounded by land already controlled by the government.[16]

Even with those advantages, however, there were still engineering challenges. Most notably, the fact that the majority of the site was underwater. So, the first step in building the airport was to make a dike around the site and fill it with material. From November 1938 to December 1939, about 20 million cubic yards of sand and gravel were pumped into the site.[17]

By 1940, this process was finished and the field was ready for use. Next came building the actual terminal. In September 28 of that year, President Roosevelt dedicated the airport, and laid the cornerstone of the terminal building amidst great fanfare.[18]

The Evening Star captured the scene as an armada of 400 planes flew overhead:

"In a single thrilling minute, the military planes converged over the airport from seven different directions and at as many altitudes. They came with such headlong speed and at so many angles that many a spectator held his breath lest they crash. But the breath-taking maneuver was managed perfectly."[19]

The act was a demonstration of the U.S. air might. In his speech, Roosevelt said the planes were there on a "peaceful mission," but that they were symbolic of "our determination to build up a defense on sea, and on land and in the air that is capable of overcoming any attack against us.”[20]

On Roosevelt's signal, the first plane landed on the field, it was an American Airlines plane. The company won the honor in a straw draw held a day prior to the event.[21] The second plane was from Eastern Airlines. Planes representing the Army, Navy and Coast Guard also landed on the field.

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Airplane taxiing out of Washington National Airport. The airport continues to be popular and has undergone a couple of expansions. (Source: Library of Congress)

Footnotes

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16. Hooper, Carol, Elizabeth Lampl and Judith Robinson. "National Register of Historic Places Registation Form." 1995. Sec. Early Planning and Design at the Airport Site, p. 24-25. http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/Arlington/000-0045_W.National_Airport_Terminal_1997_Final_Nomination.pdf
17. Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. History of the Reagan National Airport. http://www.flyreagan.com/dca/history-reagan-national-airport
18. The Washington Post. "New Airport to Open Today." The Washington Post September 28, 1940.
19. Jones, Carter Brooke. “Unexpected Show of Aerial Might Thrills Throng at New National Airport Dedication." The Evening Star September 29, 1940.
20. The New York Times. "Text of Roosevelt Speech at Washington Airport." The New York Times September 29, 1940.
21. Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. History of the Reagan National Airport. http://www.flyreagan.com/dca/history-reagan-national-airport