Dulles Airport memories for 50 years

I have always had a fondness for Dulles Airport. Mama, my maternal grandmother, lived near there in McLean. Starting at a very early age, we visited Mama there. She took us to our first McDonalds restaurant, and as soon as Dulles opened, we visited there on our annual summer visit. We did not fly into Dulles in the early years.

This is What I remember as a child, how modern it was

The first visit, and my first view of Dulles, was that it's design was from very far into the future. The curve of the roof, the open hall and the people movers to take you out to your flight were all very revolutionary in 1962. Mama had a friend, Mary Boesche, who worked at Dulles. She always gave us the VIP tour when we were there. One nugget I took from Mary, is that she stopped at every water fountain to take a drink. I sometimes do this today and remember Mary's words of advice.

On Friday morning, as we were landing, I reflected that I have been coming to Dulles for 50 years, and deplaned to see the 50th anniversary posters.

The main terminal has changed a lot. It is no longer modern and is no longer standing alone in the middle of the landscape. The people movers don't seem used very much, whereas they used to be the only way to get to your plane. There are 3 separate terminal buildings now and tons of office parks, hotels, and other industry to support the airport.

I still carry that childhood memory. Mama asked us to get dressed up in a dress to go to Dulles, a la Mad Men. We take our tour and had lunch. Watching the singular terminal emerge as we drove over a small hill, is one of my most vivid childhood memories.

In later years when we visited Mama, she took us by Reston, the planned city near Dulles, and then the next visit there was a paid toll road to get there. Now it is no longer a unique airfield. It is an airport which has been retrofitted to comply to new regulations, and expanded to accommodate the volume and international flights.

I took some pictures of new things at Dulles. Features of flying that Mama might not understand if she were alive today. She died pre-911 TSA screening, and pre-smart phones needing an electrical charge,and pre-massages at the airport.

I will always have a fondness from a child's view point about the Dulles of 1962, and will put myself back there when I arrive and depart.

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