alameda

This photo appears to and Wm. T. Larkins confirm it as the San Francisco Bay Airdrome, Alameda, CA. It was dedicated on 08/16/1930. Barely 11 years later - 1941 - it ceased operation, I suspect due to WWII and nearby Alameda Naval Air Station.


The aircraft NC334N in the hangar in your photo above) is the exact same one as below. The Fokker F-32 aircraft operated by Western Air Express, circa 1930-31. The four engine F-32 was a design failure due to overheating of the two pusher engines and was only briefly in commercial service.


Aerial map of the SFBA in 1947; present maps show vacant land

The aircraft is the other key to ID'ing this: "(5 ordered but 3 canceled) to Western Air Express [NC333N/334N] for their........... San Francisco-Los Angeles route" www.aerofiles.com/_fok.html - It was a BIG event surrounding arrival of these aircraft.

Great information! Thanks!

SDASM Archives I have firm confirmation this is positively the San Francisco Bay Airdrome, by speaking to aviation photographer William T. Larkins, who was a regular visitor since the 1930's. He said he is thrilled to see such a detailed photo of the hangars. If you require more I can speak to Bill, who is now in his 90's. I need to check back with him about the interior hangar photo.

Greg Bishop Greg, Thanks! I think we have enough information to designate it as the SF Bay Airdrome.

Alameda, California, is known as The Island City, in San Francisco Bay. Scandalous abbreviated bathing costumes (skirtless) were in the news back then. This lady was arrested for wearing one:

sexy outfits............

This was at The Cottage Baths at Neptune Beach, Alameda CA. It was established in 1917 so that makes this photo a touch latter then notated above. "Neptune Beach was an amusement park on the shore of San Francisco Bay in the city of Alameda, California. The park was served by the Southern Pacific Transportation Company and ferries from San Francisco. It operated from 1917 until it closed in 1939. Opened in 1917, Neptune Beach occupied a beach front zone now known as Crab Cove and was originally owned by the Strehlow family. Admission to the park was a dime. The park was described as a place for private picnics, with a clubhouse for dancing, and barbecue pits. The Cottage Baths were vacation cottages, available for rent. There were dances on Friday and Saturday night." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neptune_Beach_(California)

The bather wearing the ALAMEDA swimsuit is my Grandmother, Nell Schmidt, the first woman to swim across the bay from Alameda to San Francisco. She is now honored in the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Thanks for identifying your grandmother in the photo! We'll add this information to the catalog record.