Most pictures courtesy The Cradle of Aviation Museum and the Vanderbuilt Cup Races website.
Some views found across the internet. Thanks to all the anonymous contributors.
Some views found across the internet. Thanks to all the anonymous contributors.
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A series of aerial photographs in more or less chronological order from the 1920's or 1930s through the WWII era and 1940s. The major building expansion took place in the early to mid 1930's with the construction of new brick and metal hangars and modern brick buildings in the Georgian Architectural Style and a new concrete East-West runway just South and Parallel to the new hangar line. Just before WWII (1938-1939-1940) the expansion of the multi-directional runways began, starting with the Northwest to Southeast runway, followed by the Northeast to Southwest and then a second East-West runway, south and paralell to the original one, along with construction of wooden structure barracks. Most pictures courtesy The Cradle of Aviation Museum and the Vanderbuilt Cup Races website. Some views found across the internet. Thanks to all the anonymous contributors.
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Late 1920s
1924 looking West, Meadow Brook Polo Club in foreground.
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1924-January: looking East. Meadow Brook Polo Club in background Left. Early East/West hangar fronts.
1924-January: looking Northeast. Meadow Brook Polo Club in center. Early East/West hangar fronts.
1924-September: looking Northeast: notice M I T C H E L painteed on roof of hangars and dirt runway.
1927
1927: looking east. Meadow Brook Polo Club upper center. Early East/West hangar fronts.
1931-November looking Northeast: notice newly constructed ( or under construction) brick quarters, headquarters buildings, hospital building, and officers homes, all of which were built before any of the new hangars. Notice the "parade grounds" has not yet been defined.
Hangar 9 was the only original Hangar from the 1920s that was not demolished during the re-construction in 29-33. It is visible in all the early pics above (upper right hand corner in this pic) on the far eastern end, last hangar and only one FACING the field.
Hangar 9 was the only original Hangar from the 1920s that was not demolished during the re-construction in 29-33. It is visible in all the early pics above (upper right hand corner in this pic) on the far eastern end, last hangar and only one FACING the field.
1933: looking Northeast, notice new North/South hangars, but still has dirt runway. Still no "Parade grounds"
1935? Looking East, new East-West concrete runway and new North/South hangars. Notice well defined and established "Parade Grounds" and Ops Building.
1935-December: notice new coal towers and wooden barracks. (CCC barracks)on part of the old Camp Mills grounds.
1936-March: looking South. Meadow Brook Polo Club still on left. Parade Grounds and Ops Building dead center.
1936-July: looking Northwest
1936-September: looking Northeast: Roosevelt racetrack in the distance.
1936-September: Close-up looking Northeast. South end of parade ground with Batchelor Quarters Ctr.
1937-January: looking East
1937 looking Southeast (mostly East) Gymnasium Left center, Hospital upper center and what looks like a supply yard of construction material right center. The Enlisted Men's pool would be built there in 1940.
1938: looking North, notice new Northwest-Southeast concrete runway under construction.
1938-August. new Northwest-Southeast concrete runway.
1938-August: looking Northwest with new new Northwest-Southeast concrete runway
1938-August:looking Northeast
1938
Running from West to East: Maintenance Hangars were built 1933, (110 feet wide by 200 feet long).
MH East Currently used by the COA Museum for aircraft storage and restoration and retains the most intact hangar interior, including its open plan and “bomb-proof” ceiling and the Parachute loft: one-story, with a one-bay-wide two-story section (60 feet high) used for storing and folding parachutes. Lit by original steel windows.
MH West is the current Children's Museum.
Hangars 1&2, and 3&4 were built in 1934. H1 burned down in 1981. H 2, 3 and 4 are the current COA Museum with #2 also occupied by the Fireman's Museum.
Those above are the only hangars still remaining.
MH West and East were single Hangars while 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 were duplexes. The COA Atrium and IMAX theater were built between 2 and 3 connecting those two hangars. 1,2, 3 and 4 (110 feet wide by 100 feet long) were originally half as long as MH 5&6 but were extended to the North side in the late 1939-1940. (making them their current size (110 feet wide by 200 feet long).
In between MH and H1 was the Firehouse and Brig. A Two-story, four-bay by five-bay brick hipped-roof building with rear one-story, two-bay by seven-bay brick hipped roof wing. Central, projecting section with quoins, two fire truck bays, and four steel casement windows; capped by a projecting front gable with a central circular window with four keystones. Contemporary window on first story, façade west of projecting section. Wide frieze band runs under gable and roofline. On west elevation, one-story brick projecting entrance bay with arched transom over door. Regular fenestration, original steel casement windows on primary and rear building. Currently used as the Cradle of Aviation Museum’s curatorial offices and restoration area, the building retains an intact interior plan with open, fire truck bays, original stairs, and room configuration. This building was also extended and doubled in the late 30s.
The Ops building (1933) is East of H4. On the East side of Ops Building was Hangars 5&6 (duplex) Hangars 7&8 (duplex) and hangar 9. 7, 8 and 9 were at about a 30 degree angle to the others because of the polo ground property to their rear. 5 and 6 were the old NCC Gymnasium, and was also extended to the North in 1940-41. 7, 8 and 9 were never extended because of the Polo Ground property line. All of those (5, 6, 7,8, and 9) were raised in the early 70s to build the new NCC Campus.
Hangar 9, built in 1918, was the only original Hangar from the original construction period that was not demolished during the re-construction period of 29-33. It is visible in all the early pics above on the far eastern end, last hangar and only one FACING the field (south). It is aligned with the Western bleacher seating of the Polo Grounds.
MH East Currently used by the COA Museum for aircraft storage and restoration and retains the most intact hangar interior, including its open plan and “bomb-proof” ceiling and the Parachute loft: one-story, with a one-bay-wide two-story section (60 feet high) used for storing and folding parachutes. Lit by original steel windows.
MH West is the current Children's Museum.
Hangars 1&2, and 3&4 were built in 1934. H1 burned down in 1981. H 2, 3 and 4 are the current COA Museum with #2 also occupied by the Fireman's Museum.
Those above are the only hangars still remaining.
MH West and East were single Hangars while 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 were duplexes. The COA Atrium and IMAX theater were built between 2 and 3 connecting those two hangars. 1,2, 3 and 4 (110 feet wide by 100 feet long) were originally half as long as MH 5&6 but were extended to the North side in the late 1939-1940. (making them their current size (110 feet wide by 200 feet long).
In between MH and H1 was the Firehouse and Brig. A Two-story, four-bay by five-bay brick hipped-roof building with rear one-story, two-bay by seven-bay brick hipped roof wing. Central, projecting section with quoins, two fire truck bays, and four steel casement windows; capped by a projecting front gable with a central circular window with four keystones. Contemporary window on first story, façade west of projecting section. Wide frieze band runs under gable and roofline. On west elevation, one-story brick projecting entrance bay with arched transom over door. Regular fenestration, original steel casement windows on primary and rear building. Currently used as the Cradle of Aviation Museum’s curatorial offices and restoration area, the building retains an intact interior plan with open, fire truck bays, original stairs, and room configuration. This building was also extended and doubled in the late 30s.
The Ops building (1933) is East of H4. On the East side of Ops Building was Hangars 5&6 (duplex) Hangars 7&8 (duplex) and hangar 9. 7, 8 and 9 were at about a 30 degree angle to the others because of the polo ground property to their rear. 5 and 6 were the old NCC Gymnasium, and was also extended to the North in 1940-41. 7, 8 and 9 were never extended because of the Polo Ground property line. All of those (5, 6, 7,8, and 9) were raised in the early 70s to build the new NCC Campus.
Hangar 9, built in 1918, was the only original Hangar from the original construction period that was not demolished during the re-construction period of 29-33. It is visible in all the early pics above on the far eastern end, last hangar and only one FACING the field (south). It is aligned with the Western bleacher seating of the Polo Grounds.
1939-May: looking Northwest: notice construction of new Northeast-Southwest concrete runway and Southeast extension of Northwest-Southeast runway.
This is a great picture dated May 1939. Center right is the Meadowbrook Polo grounds, now the site of the Modern NCC Campus. Below that is Meadowbrook Golf course west of Merrick Ave. Meadowbrook Parkway runs through there now. Hempstead Tpke (Fulton Ave) runs diagonally across the lower left hand corner and south of that is the Cold Stream Golf Course which was purchased by US Gov't in 1942 to build the Santini Sub Base and Hospital. All the way on top you can see Roosevelt Field.
This is a great picture dated May 1939. Center right is the Meadowbrook Polo grounds, now the site of the Modern NCC Campus. Below that is Meadowbrook Golf course west of Merrick Ave. Meadowbrook Parkway runs through there now. Hempstead Tpke (Fulton Ave) runs diagonally across the lower left hand corner and south of that is the Cold Stream Golf Course which was purchased by US Gov't in 1942 to build the Santini Sub Base and Hospital. All the way on top you can see Roosevelt Field.
1939-July: with new and extended runways
1939-September: with the start of new wooden barracks construction:
1939-November with new wooden barracks.
1940-September: note new East-West runway, paralell to, and south of, original concrete runway.
1940-September: looking South: Construction of north-end extension of hangar 1&2 visible in center.
1940-September: Construction of north-end extension of hangar 1&2 and preparation for 3&4 visible in center.
1940-January: Looking North, with even more new wooden barracks North of the officers Brick houses and between the headquarters buildings. Note also the northern extensions on Hangars 1,2,3,and 4, doubling their original length from 100 feet to 200 feet. Not yet painted with the Black and chrome yellow checkerboard pattern.
1941-March: looking North
1948: First post war photo I have found. Note new North-South runway and taxi lanes. All hangars 1,2,3,4, 7 and 8 have northern extensions and checkerboard roof pattern seems to have been removed. Note Roosevelt Field and Roosevelt Raceway along top.
1954: note northeast runway extension extending the runway from 5508 to 6885 feet
1960
1994
How the field looks today, with Nassau Coliseum, The Marriott Hotel, Nassau Community College, Hofstra College, Sports Fields, Offices Buildings and Other uses. Note Museum Row with the 1930's hangars, the parade ground surrounded by original buildings and houses, and the remnants of the runway on the right.
2006
