Collection open for research
Physical characteristics affect use of this material. Photocopying not permitted.
Dulles Airport Dedication (SC 0037), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.
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2005.0031X
Processed by Emily Hershman, 19 February 2008
During and after the Second World War, the Washington D.C. metropolitan area was served by only one airport, Washington National Airport (now known as Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport). However, the growing demand for airport capacity caused Congress to pass the second Washington Airport Act of 1950, which provided for the "construction, protection, operation, and maintenance of a public airport in or in the vicinity of the District of Columbia."
Eight years later, President Dwight Eisenhower (1890-1969) approved a 10,000 acre site between Loudoun and Fairfax Counties as the airport's future location. Finnish architect Eero Saarinen (1910-1961), who designed the terminal building and control tower of the airport, described it as "the best thing I have ever done," and believed that the design captured "the soul of the airport." Named for former secretary of state John Foster Dulles (1885-1959), Dulles Airport was built to serve six million passengers a year and was one of the most modern airports of its time. Today, after expansions completed in the 1970s and 1980s, Dulles now accommodates more than 55,000 passengers a day and 20 million passengers a year.
The Dulles Airport Dedication invitation card, preview tour card, and parking permit are typical of those sent to former residents whose homes had been demolished to construct the airport. They are in overall good condition but should be handled carefully.
The invitation card is headed by the seal of the Federal Aviation Agency, and notes that the president of the United States will dedicate Dulles International Airport on the morning of Saturday, November 17, 1962; those who wish to attend must present their invitations at the event. The preview tour card includes a request for tours taking place on November 15 and 16 at 9:30 in the morning and 2:00 in the afternoon. It also explains that each tour lasts three and a half hours, and provides an opportunity to view the airport, control tower, and mobile lounges; transportation will be provided at the F Street entrance of the Willard Hotel for both tours. The request form is encased in an envelope addressed to the Dulles Dedication Staff of the Federal Aviation Agency. Lastly, the parking permit is to be placed in guests' windshields on the day of the ceremony; a map of Dulles Airport and its surrounding area is included on the back of the permit.
The invitation card, preview tour card, and parking permit are the only items in this collection.
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Invitation Card, Preview Tour Card, Parking Permit