I was having a nostagic moment, and was thinking about the time I went through the old ATL airport. About all I can remember is the semi-circular DL terminal which seemed to go on forever. Does anyone know where I can look at a picture of the old airport? Where was the old DL terminal in relation to today's layout?
Thanks.
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RE: Old ATL Airport
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RE: Old ATL Airport
Here's another link.
http://oldterminals.topcities.com/atlanta.html
Note: this is one of those websites that has an hourly bandwidth limit, so you may not always get through the first time. Just keep trying. Lots of info on other old airport terminals. This site is maintained by an airliners.net member.
LoneStarMike
RE: Old ATL Airport
Before 1980, all ATL flights used a terminal located on the north side of the airfield, where the hotels and Delta headquarters are located now. This terminal was used by all airlines, not just Delta.
The building opened in 1961 with five concourses radiating out in all directions, a bit like Miami or Chicago O'Hare. A sixth concourse was added in 1962.
The main terminal had a vaulted roof - one of the first in the world to do so - and was topped by a high-rise office building and control tower. Most of the gates at the airport were ground level, and passengers boarded aircraft by walking outside and ascending a stairway to the plane's door. Delta's two concourses were equipped with twelve jetways, which back then was a big deal and gave Delta considerable bragging rights. Eastern (Delta's biggest competitor in Atlanta) installed jetways on the concourse it opened in 1962, but the rest of EA's gates remained at ground level.
When the terminal shut down in 1980 it was left abandoned for about five years. Two of the concourses were demolished almost immediately to make room for the northernmost parallel runway. Three more came down in the mid-1980s. The last concourse (the one built later, in 1962) stuck around into the mid-1990s and served various general aviation and charter companies. It's gone now too.
The building opened in 1961 with five concourses radiating out in all directions, a bit like Miami or Chicago O'Hare. A sixth concourse was added in 1962.
The main terminal had a vaulted roof - one of the first in the world to do so - and was topped by a high-rise office building and control tower. Most of the gates at the airport were ground level, and passengers boarded aircraft by walking outside and ascending a stairway to the plane's door. Delta's two concourses were equipped with twelve jetways, which back then was a big deal and gave Delta considerable bragging rights. Eastern (Delta's biggest competitor in Atlanta) installed jetways on the concourse it opened in 1962, but the rest of EA's gates remained at ground level.
When the terminal shut down in 1980 it was left abandoned for about five years. Two of the concourses were demolished almost immediately to make room for the northernmost parallel runway. Three more came down in the mid-1980s. The last concourse (the one built later, in 1962) stuck around into the mid-1990s and served various general aviation and charter companies. It's gone now too.
RE: Old ATL Airport
This has been very helpful, and has brought back some memories. Thanks.
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RE: Old ATL Airport
George W. Cearly Jr. published an exhaustive pictoral history in 1991. (self-published)
You might be able to find a used copy at memorabilia fair/swapmeet/convention.
I bought mine new for 25 USD. Not for sale.
You might be able to find a used copy at memorabilia fair/swapmeet/convention.
I bought mine new for 25 USD. Not for sale.
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RE: Old ATL Airport
Mike beat me to the oldterminals website link.
ATL's old terminal was located north of the northern set of runways, roughly due north of the present international concourse:
View Large View Medium
Photo © Helmut Bierbaum
Check out this postcard, and if you see the DL maintenance hangars at the top, you'll have a better idea of where the terminal was located:
http://oldterminals.topcities.com/atlanta%2070s.jpg
Tom at MSY
ATL's old terminal was located north of the northern set of runways, roughly due north of the present international concourse:
Photo © Helmut Bierbaum
Check out this postcard, and if you see the DL maintenance hangars at the top, you'll have a better idea of where the terminal was located:
http://oldterminals.topcities.com/atlanta%2070s.jpg
Tom at MSY
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RE: Old ATL Airport
Tom-
Thanks for info on that Great website! I've been searching for something like that for too long.
Thanks for info on that Great website! I've been searching for something like that for too long.
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RE: Old ATL Airport
I remember when they added the round end pieces because they were out of room to expand the original terminal. They started construction of the mid-field terminals because of this. We called them spider gate because of the design. It was a real adventure to go to the airport 6 or 7 times a year when I was a kid, we would pull into the Camp Creek exit and pass the 'tire giant' on the right (he's still there when I last looked) and then into the airport with Eastern gates on the right and we could see the WhisperLiner marks on the L-1011's and Delta on the right when Dad and I would drop of Maman and my brother and we men would go to park in long term parking and walking the long way back. I remember the Airline Insurance Kiosk in the middle of the terminal where you would go to the central gates. ok...getting sappy, it was a really cool place, but midfield was and still is the future.
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RE: Old ATL Airport
Some ramp areas of the old airport complex are still in use. The Mercury Air Center ramp, North Cargo, the ramp area between the M.A.C. and Delta TechOps North, and the ramps in between date back to the old complex. You can still see parts of the old access road that intersected @ Virginia Avenue. The main terminal building was situated where the Renaissance Hotel and 800 Hartsfield Centre Parkway (ASA's G.O. and the HQ for the local branch of ALPA) now sit. During the 1980s, there were a few plans to reuse the old main terminal building. Air Atlanta used part of it as their HQ for a time; someone proposed turning it into a hotel/casino project, yet another proposed turning it into a shopping mall.
 Photo © Andrew Abshier |  Photo © Andrew Abshier |
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RE: Old ATL Airport
I have been trying for months and months to get into that old terminal website and I always get the bandwith exceeded message. If there are this many people interested, why doesn't the person responsible move it to a server that doesn't have such a constipated bandwidth? I know places where you can put this that won't restrict the bandwidth for $10.00 per month!
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