Aerial view toward the east taken from about over present Club House at Santa Anita Park Race Track. The main street running North/South is Santa Anita Avenue. View shows the oval of Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin's race track in what is currently Arcadia County Park. The buildings would be barracks of Ross Field U.S. Army Balloon School. Duarte Road can be seen coming into photo at right edge of photo near intersection with Santa Anita Avenue. The broad street along left side would be Huntington Drive. Railroad tracks can be seen in lower left corner.
Looking east over barracks and main building at Ross Field. Tree-lined street cutting across photo at far side of field is Santa Anita Avenue. The oval of the race track built by E.J."Lucky" Baldwin and which opened in 1907 can clearly be seen on right. Broad E/W street seen on far left is Huntington Drive.
Aerial view south of Balloon School and surrounding part of valley. Large tree-lined street running from center of photo toward lower left edge of photo is Santa Anita. Tree-lined street coming in on right edge of photo about two inches from bottom of photo and intersecting Santa Anita, is Duarte Road. Note wash that at present is just west of Arcadia High School. Rio Hondo Wash runs east to west across middle of photo.
Aerial view looking north over flooded Santa Anita Wash looking upstream. Street cutting across photo closest to bottom is Huntington Drive. The next crossing upstream carries Santa Fe Railroad track. The last crossing that is clearly visible is Pacific Electric Railroad bridge. North/south street crossing Huntington Drive nearest wash would be Fifth Avenue. Foothill Boulevard is just barely visible near top of photo.
View north toward San Gabriel Mountains. Men of Ross Field Balloon School, holding gondola or basket just coming to the ground or being readied to go aloft.
Aerial view south on Colorado Street just over large turn to the west. The residential area known as Santa Anita Gardens shows along upper left section of photo. Note that the only commerical development along the north side of Colorado Street is the Westerner Motel just near intersection with Huntington Drive. Santa Fe Railroad tracks are seen in lower left corner of photo. Santa Anita Park Race Track is on right.
Looking SW from mountains north of Arcadia. Major tree-lined street running from mountains south is Santa Anita Avenue. Southernmost tree-lined street cutting across entire middle of photo is Duarte Road. Barracks at the Balloon School can be seen just below Huntington Drive. Notice that Huntington Drive stops just west of the Balloon School, at the Baldwin Ranch. Much of Foothill area was planted to citrus.
View east shows two balloons aloft over Arcadia and San Gabriel Valley. It is possible that first river up from bottom of photo is Rio Hondo Wash. Some of trees along Santa Anita appear to be in extreme lower right of photo. Tree-lined street showing in extreme lower left of photo is Duarte Road. Second river coming into photo about five inches up from bottom of photo would be San Gabriel River.
Aerial view taken looking southeast from position about over present Arboretum. Photo shows Santa Anita Park, probably in opening season. Present City Hall sits in area just beyond cars parked at east end of track. Part of oval of old Santa Anita track built by Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin is seen in upper portion of photo, in area that is now Arcadia County Park. Duarte Road is seen crossing photo in upper right corner. Present Arcadia County Park area is in this photo, bordered on the north by Pacific Electric Railroad tracks. A train has just brought a group to the races and they are seen walking in center of photo. White square seen near right side, is slab left from hangars when U.S. Army Balloon School occupied this site, 1917-1927.
Main road crossing photo east to west in top third of photo is Huntington Drive. The main street running North/South in right portion of photo is Rosemead Boulevard. Wash running North/South is Eaton Wash. Very little in this view is of Arcadia.
Goodyear blimp VOLUNTEER is seen stopping at Ross Field Balloon School in 1929. Five automobiles are seen parked and interested spectators are standing nearby. The two large hangars at the extreme west portion of the Balloon School land are seen in background.
Aerial view looking northeast across Santa Anita Park toward mountains. Note training track called Anita Chiquita has been added (lower left corner), open grandstand has been added to west of covered stand. Note, too, that work has begun to change Balloon School site to Arcadia County Park. Santa Anita Avenue is tree-lined street running entire width of photo about middle of print.
Original description, "Balloon about 30 feet off ground. Balloon has round target-like mark on its side. Under balloon is truck with winch and many men participating in restraining it. Overcast day." Revised description 9/7/2017 by Mark Rosenblum, a local Balloon School historian, identifies it as Rockwell Field in San Diego. It is not Arcadia, but he said the men from the Balloon School at Ross Field in Arcadia, went to San Diego to join in on a public display of the balloons.
U.S. Army Balloon School (Ross Field) in Arcadia. View is to the north with the San Gabriel Mountains in the background. In the foreground are Army vehicles lined in a row. Buildings are visible behind the vehicles.
Apparently a visitors' time at Ross Field Balloon School. Photo shows balloon aloft with basket suspended. Many people in photo. Closest to camera is left to right: man, boy, and four women. Eucalyptus trees all across background.
Aerial view east on Huntington Drive toward Arcadia from a position just west of Rosemead Boulevard. El Rancho Shopping Center and May Company Department Store can be seen as the business complex on the north side of Huntington Drive one block east of Rosemead Boulevard. Santa Anita Park Race Track can be seen on the left in upper portion of photo.
View across swimming pool built for the men of Ross Field Balloon School by Anita Baldwin and the community. It was on possibly opening day as there are throngs of guests looking on. This was located where present parking lot of Elks building is located. H.F.Paden in 1978 told us there was also a pool formed of stone in what is now County Park area which was an officers' pool.