Writer Charles Cooper continues his series of articles called "Memories of Arcadia" with a history and description of the U.S. Army Balloon School that was at Camp Ross (or Ross Field) in Arcadia during World War I. The balloon school was located on the current site of Arcadia County Park.
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.
1. The Arcadian Observer. Official paper of the United States Army Balloon School at Arcadia, California. Vol. 1 #1 August 3, 1918 – Vol. 1 #29 February 15, 1919 (Bound) 2. Official Souvenir & Program Balloon School Circus and the Final Edition of The Arcadian Observer, February 22, 1919.
1. The Arcadian Observer. Official paper of the United States Army Balloon School at Arcadia, California. Vol. 1 #1 August 3, 1918 – Vol. 1 #29 February 15, 1919 (Bound)
2. Official Souvenir & Program Balloon School Circus and the Final Edition of The Arcadian Observer, February 22, 1919.
1. The Arcadian Observer. Official paper of the United States Army Balloon School at Arcadia, California. (Miscellaneous single issues) Supplement to The Arcadian Observer, September 1918, was gift from Sierra Madre Public Library on March 17, 2004.
1. The Arcadian Observer. Official paper of the United States Army Balloon School at Arcadia, California. (Miscellaneous single issues) Supplement to The Arcadian Observer, September 1918, was gift from Sierra Madre Public Library on March 17, 2004.
Master Sgt. William Bucher sitting at steering wheel of Army vehicle just inside grounds of Ross Field Balloon School. Behind him can be seen tower of Santa Anita Avenue and Huntington Drive.
Series of seven small photos of Ross Field. Photos are numbered as follows: a. Part of a building on left with San Gabriel Mountains very prominent in background; b. two balloons on the ground; c. airplane landing on what looks like an airstrip (barely visible): d. Balloon a few feet off ground in the distance; e. Man in uniform climbing the side of a mountain; f. Building; g. Balloon a few feet above the ground with many people standing on the ground looking toward it.
Series of seven small photos of Ross Field. Photos are numbered as follows: a. Part of a building on left with San Gabriel Mountains very prominent in background; b. two balloons on the ground; c. airplane landing on what looks like an airstrip (barely visible): d. Balloon a few feet off ground in the distance; e. Man in uniform climbing the side of a mountain; f. Building; g. Balloon a few feet above the ground with many people standing on the ground looking toward it.
Series of seven small photos of Ross Field. Photos are numbered as follows: a. Part of a building on left with San Gabriel Mountains very prominent in background; b. two balloons on the ground; c. airplane landing on what looks like an airstrip (barely visible): d. Balloon a few feet off ground in the distance; e. Man in uniform climbing the side of a mountain; f. Building; g. Balloon a few feet above the ground with many people standing on the ground looking toward it.
Series of seven small photos of Ross Field. Photos are numbered as follows: a. Part of a building on left with San Gabriel Mountains very prominent in background; b. two balloons on the ground; c. airplane landing on what looks like an airstrip (barely visible): d. Balloon a few feet off ground in the distance; e. Man in uniform climbing the side of a mountain; f. Building; g. Balloon a few feet above the ground with many people standing on the ground looking toward it.
Series of seven small photos of Ross Field. Photos are numbered as follows: a. Part of a building on left with San Gabriel Mountains very prominent in background; b. two balloons on the ground; c. airplane landing on what looks like an airstrip (barely visible): d. Balloon a few feet off ground in the distance; e. Man in uniform climbing the side of a mountain; f. Building; g. Balloon a few feet above the ground with many people standing on the ground looking toward it.
Series of seven small photos of Ross Field. Photos are numbered as follows: a. Part of a building on left with San Gabriel Mountains very prominent in background; b. two balloons on the ground; c. airplane landing on what looks like an airstrip (barely visible): d. Balloon a few feet off ground in the distance; e. Man in uniform climbing the side of a mountain; f. Building; g. Balloon a few feet above the ground with many people standing on the ground looking toward it.
Series of seven small photos of Ross Field. Photos are numbered as follows: a. Part of a building on left with San Gabriel Mountains very prominent in background; b. two balloons on the ground; c. airplane landing on what looks like an airstrip (barely visible): d. Balloon a few feet off ground in the distance; e. Man in uniform climbing the side of a mountain; f. Building; g. Balloon a few feet above the ground with many people standing on the ground looking toward it.
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.
Two photographs mounted with one sign on each side. Top photo shows 6 balloons with officers at Ross Field. Sign on left reads:"U.S. Army Balloon School, Arcadia, California". Sign on right reads "Established June 11, 1918."
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.
View northeast over Pacific Electric Railroad. Ross Field Balloon School occupies portion on right side of photo over to the railroad tracks. The street marking its northern boundary would be Huntington Drive. The large rectangle just north of this street was Rancho Resevoir, converted into a swimming pool. The principal street marking east boundary of Balloon School property running north to south across this photo about at middle, is Santa Anita Avenue.
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.
Military vehicle, probably used to hoist and pull down the observation balloons used at Ross Field. Two men stand at the back, one with his arm raised as a signal. The San Gabriel Mountains can be seen VERY faintly in background. Buildings at the Balloon School can be seen on either side of the truck.
Rudolph C. Shosted, now 79, recalls his time spent at the Army's observation balloon school, located where the Los Angeles County Park golf course now is.