Roy Knabenshue, who built observation balloons for the U.S. during WWI, displays a model at Ross Field. Roy Knabenshue on left, C.P. Kane, commanding officer, on right.
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.
Photo of balloon apparently descending with men in basket suspended from beneath it. Group of buildings and 2 tents show on left side of photo. Approximately 16 men involved in getting balloon down. Truck also in photo.
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.
Aerial view of Ross Field looking east from a position of about Huntington Drive and present Holly Avenue. Two large hangars are at west point of triangular property. The wash cutting across foreground is the wash just to west of present high school.
Maneuvering officer (extreme right) leading about 23 men in readying balloon to take on observers and go aloft. Identification was given by H.F. Paden, August 1978. Mr. Paden was an officer at the Balloon School. Field is totally flat.
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.
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.
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.
Photo of dignitaries at the dedication of plaque marking site of Ross Field. Man on extreme right is ex-Congressman John Hoeppel who was most responsible for securing land for Los Angeles County Park. Others in photo not identified.
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.