In 1961, San Jose voters approved a bond measure for the construction of a new airport, officially ushering the South Bay into the “Jet Age.” A local architect by the name of Hollis Logue, Jr. was awarded the design contract and in 1965, the city of San Jose had a modern air terminal that was both functional and elegant. Described by the San Jose Mercury News as a “palace of glass, concrete, and steel,” the new airport (which came to be known as “Terminal C”) featured two stories, a restaurant, cocktail lounge, and observation deck.
Sources:
“Terminal Ushers in New Era,” San Jose Mercury News, September 12, 1965, p. 41
“Terminal’s Biggest Backer,” Scott Herhold, San Jose Mercury News, November 20, 2005, pp. 1B and 15B
Image Credits:
Vintage postcard image, photographer unknown
Vintage Flight Schedule, 1965
Building & detail views, 2007, Photo credit: Heather David
Terminal C was demolished in 2010.
Once one of South Bay’s best examples of mid-century modern architecture, Terminal C introduced modernism to the region on a grand scale. We loved it because the airport interior was open and airy, with an abundance of natural light. Floor-to-ceiling glass blurred the lines between interior and exterior space. Even the original light fixtures and terrazzo floors symbolized a break from the past and a push to the future.