The photographic postcard in black and white shows the passenger station at the old Municipal Airport, where passenger service began in September, 1927. Ladies in long white summer dresses observe operations. An upper-level open-air deck is filled with people watching take-offs and arrivals of the big planes. This was a common scene in days when flying was still a marvel. Joe Gilbert's restaurant inside, which opened later, added to a gala outing at the airport. The old airport, just north of the Missouri River, was five minutes from Downtown Kansas City. At one time, three airlines - Transcontinental and Western Air Inc. (TWA), Midcontinent Airlines and Braniff Airways - had 54 schedules in and out of Kansas City, daily, 27 arrivals and 27 departures. Kansas City bought the swampy airport site in 1926 and Charles Lindbergh dedicated the airport, with thousands attending, in August 1927. The present Kansas City International Airport was financed by city bonds in 1966. Last week the old airport again came into active use when Air Midwest inaugurated four daily departures to Wichita and four to St. Louis. Kansas City Times, December 19, 1986.
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