Long Beach Airport Releases Commemorative Poster Series Celebrating 100 Years of Service

Inviting viewers to embark on a journey through time, the 100th anniversary posters were specially designed to spotlight unique eras and facets of LGB's aviation history. Each is styled in an aesthetic reminiscent of the Work Projects Administration’s national park posters.

The first poster, “Early Days of Aviation,” inspired by the early 1900s, captures the pioneering spirit that marked those formative years before the official establishment of LGB in 1923, when Long Beach’s sandy shoreline served as a runway. Onlookers were amazed as early aviator Earl S. Daugherty — who later helped establish the airport — soared through a serene expanse of blue sky in an early Curtiss Flyer Model D.

“Historic Terminal,” the second poster, pays homage to LGB’s Historic Terminal building, which was completed in 1941. A city-designated Historic Landmark, the architectural gem was designed by architects William Horace Austin and Kenneth Smith Wing in era-defining Streamline Moderne style. Reflected in its runway-facing windows, the silhouette of a Douglas DC-3 passenger plane emerges, proudly manufactured by the thousands in Long Beach.

In "Keep 'Em Flying,” the third poster reflects on Long Beach Airport’s robust aircraft manufacturing history and its significant contributions during World War II. Here in Long Beach, women of all backgrounds became Rosie the Riveters and worked around the clock to produce military aircraft that were vital to the war effort — including the B-17 depicted in mid-flight — at Douglas Aircraft Company.

The final poster, “Welcome to Long Beach,” goes past the Golden Age of Aviation into the mid-century, celebrating how Long Beach’s unique climate, tourism and manufacturing industries helped the City thrive. A DC-3 flies above beach waves and an iconic skyline that includes the Villa Riviera and Breakers Hotel, as well as The Pike’s Cyclone Racer rollercoaster.

“At Long Beach Airport we are committed to finding creative ways to preserve our rich history, and this poster series is a fun way to celebrate our past while we set our sights on reaching new heights for the future,” said Airport Director Cynthia Guidry. “I’m proud to be a part of both the inherited legacy of LGB and how we are recognized today as one of the best airports in the country and the gateway of choice for Southern California.”

The remaining three of the 8 x 10 posters in the series will be unveiled on LGB’s social media channels over the course of the next three days before being available free of charge at the Saturday, July 27 grand reopening and public open house of LGB’s Historic Terminal, which recently underwent a major renovation and restoration.

Beyond celebrating the reopening of its Historic Terminal, the oldest municipal airport in California is in the middle of a yearlong centennial campaign of events and promotions — such as the release of these commemorative posters — designed to honor LGB's rich aviation history, underscore its role as an economic driver and convenient gateway to Southern California, and inspire future aviation professionals. LGB earlier released a four-part short film series and a historic report featuring many of the lesser-known stories of women and Black, Latinx, Asian, Indigenous and other persons of color who participated and contributed to making the Southern California environs a global center of aviation and aerospace over the last century. 

The centennial campaign has served as a testament to the profound connection between Long Beach Airport and the local community, as well as its enduring impact on the broader aviation industry. For more information about LGB’s centennial, which began in November 2023 and runs through November 2024, visit lgb.org/100th.