Late last year, I mentioned I had photos of my airport terminal building (the Smith Terminal at Detroit Metro Airport) dating back from the 1960s. I found them again and am sharing them with you now. This is the same building that single-handedly gave Metro its long-standing impression as about the worst airport to do business in. Tales have been told about the building acquiring "campy" status, and its dinginess is obvious to travelers. No one seems to recall a time where that terminal was state-of-the-art. But for a time in the 1960s, it was THE place to be in the area.Just look at how vibrant this photo appears to be. The arrangement in this main concourse is very passenger-friendly, even with a classic car displayed to the right of the main entry doors. This photo was in fact taken from an observation platform on the floor above. And this was the point: the entire second floor at the time was all customer observation area. You can bet the airport wasn't paranoid about security at this time.
This is the approximate area of our ticket counter these days. The observation area I just mentioned is underneath the funky-tiled ceiling up above, now taken up by countless offices.
Here's a conversation starter, in fact: Where are the lights? There seem to be no lights in the ceiling here. Well, I guess even in its peak days, the building was rather quirky. But that was nothing compared to now.
I bring this nostalgic look up as I just got home from work today in that building - with no heat. After 48 years, I guess, the boiler decided to retire.
