Fire at Grand Central Airport

 United States > California > Glendale

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Photograph caption dated April 14, 1944 reads "Clouds of smoke soar into the sky, in the background, from the central hangar at the Grand Central Airport, which was rocked by an explosion and fire today." The fire can be seen beyond several buildings. A large signboard to the right reads "Curtiss-Wright Technical Institute of Aeronautics." Several cars are parked on the street and power and telephone lines are prominent in the photo. People can be seen on the roof of a building in the distance. It was located at 1310 Air Way, Glendale.The Grand Central Airport, also know as the Glendale Airport, was an important element in the development of aviation in United States. It opened in 1922 and was the Los Angeles area's first commercial airport and the departure site for the nation's first regularly scheduled coast to coast flight, piloted by Charles Lindbergh. The airport was closed in 1959 and was purchased in 1997 by The Walt Disney Company.