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Old Gander

Photos and memories of the old Gander townsite and airport

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Gander Airport

1946 – 1959

The old townsite is almost no more, but for us Ganderites who lived there, we had a front row seat to see dozens of big and powerful airplanes landing and taking off every day.

The trains on a stopover brought a display of the shiny new vehicles going to the various dealerships across the island. The Star Theatre was a favourite with us younger ones. Cowboy movies in Technicolor and going to the snack bar at the airport was a real treat.

Gander Airport was one of the world’s largest airports in the early 1950s, averaging 250 flights a week with 250,000 passengers passing through the lounges annually.

The old photos have been colourized and flags raised to illustrate how a vibrant Gander was the central hub of all the airlines of the world travelling to North America.

A silver airliner parked in front of the Gander Airport terminal, with the flags of many nations flying above the building
The Gander Airport terminal building seen from the side, flags flying on the roof and passengers on the apron
Airline ticket counters inside the terminal for Trans Canada Airlines, Belgian Airlines and others, with passengers lined up
The wide terminal lounge with pink armchairs, a blue wall and airline counters along the right side
A busy terminal lounge with passengers seated and standing, and a large map of Canada on the far wall
The Main Exit to Aircraft hall, with clocks showing the time in London, Gander and New York, and a man standing at the Canadian Telegraph counter
Uniformed women and officials raising a flag in front of the Gander Airport building
A painted map of the North Atlantic showing the air routes that pass through Gander

The official opening of the terminal on September 14, 1946,

Gander Airport was indeed the “CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD”

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