The Pan-American Treasure: Myth Or Reality?

Treasure Island is a 400-acre artificial island in San Francisco Bay, built between 1936 and 1937. It was constructed with federal funds and private donations, and served as the site of the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition, a world's fair. The island was also the original U.S. terminal for Pan American Airways, which in 1935 became the first airline to bridge the Pacific Ocean, linking North America and Asia by air. The island's name may be a nod to the gold in its soil, as well as California's gold rush past. Today, Treasure Island is home to over 2,000 residents and a variety of commercial and community organisations.

Treasure Island: An artificial island in San Francisco Bay

Treasure Island is an artificial island in San Francisco Bay. Built between 1936 and 1937, it was originally constructed to host the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition. The 400-acre island was built by the Army Corps of Engineers on the shoals of neighbouring Yerba Buena Island. The island was formed using 287,000 short tons of quarried rock for the perimeter walls, 23 feet of dredged bay sand for the interior, and 50,000 cubic yards of topsoil to support the planting of thousands of trees, shrubs, and flowering plants. The island was named by Clyde Milner Vandeburg, part of the fair's public relations team, in a nod to California's gold rush past.

The Golden Gate International Exposition was a celebration of California and San Francisco's growing economic, political, and cultural influence in the Pacific region. The fair also commemorated the engineering achievements of the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges and the advent of transpacific air passenger service with Pan American Airways. The island was intended to become a second airport for San Francisco, but with the onset of World War II, the Navy moved in, and the island became a major naval station and training centre.

After the war, the Navy remained on the island, which served as a training, supply, and embarkation station during the Cold War. Naval Station Treasure Island closed in 1997, and the island was leased to the City of San Francisco. Today, Treasure Island is open to the public and has a growing residential community, commercial tenants, restaurants, schools, arts organizations, and community groups. The island offers panoramic views of San Francisco's waterfront, public art installations, flea markets, festivals, and historical landmarks.

Pan American Airways: The first to link North America with Asia by air

In 1935, Pan American Airways (also known as Pan Am) became the first airline to bridge the Pacific Ocean, linking North America with Asia by air. The airline's founder, Juan Terry Trippe, introduced the first regularly scheduled transpacific service with the famous Martin M-130 China Clipper. The China Clipper and its two sister ships came and went from a man-made harbour constructed from the rusting hulks of decommissioned navy destroyers at Alameda Island on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay.

The China Clipper's inaugural flight was a mail service from San Francisco to Manila in November 1935. Passenger service commenced in October 1936, with a one-way fare of $799 from San Francisco to Manila or Hong Kong in 1937. The journey took 60 hours over a six-day span, with stops at Midway and Wake islands, and Guam.

The following year, Pan Am signed a contract with Boeing Aircraft for six new flying boats, the Boeing B-314's. These aircraft showcased the airline's new base at Treasure Island, an artificial island in San Francisco Bay. The island was constructed with federal funds and private investment, and was originally built to host the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition.

Pan Am's base at Treasure Island featured two large hangars and a magnificent terminal building designed by two of San Francisco's most prominent architects. The terminal building was a fitting terminus for the world's first true transoceanic air route.

During the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition, Pan Am's flying boats were a major attraction. Visitors could witness the arrival and departure of the clippers, and if they were lucky, they could even see the big flying boats undergoing routine maintenance in the hangars.

Pan Am continued to expand its Pacific services, and by May 1941, the airline was flying to Auckland, New Zealand, and past Manila to Hong Kong and Singapore. Treasure Island had become America's aerial gateway to the world across the Pacific.

The Golden Gate International Exposition: A world's fair

The Golden Gate International Exposition (GGIE) was a World's Fair held in 1939, with a second season in 1940. The fair took place on Treasure Island, an artificial island in San Francisco Bay, California. The island was constructed specifically for the exposition, with work beginning in 1936 or 1937. The project was a joint effort by the Federal WPA, PWA, the City of San Francisco, and private funds, with the US Army Corps of Engineers overseeing the engineering.

The idea for the exposition came about following the completion of two new bridges in San Francisco: the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The fair was intended to celebrate this achievement, as well as the birth of transpacific air passenger service with Pan American Airways. The theme of the exposition was "A Pageant of the Pacific," showcasing the goods and cultures of nations bordering the Pacific Ocean.

The Golden Gate International Exposition opened on February 18, 1939, and ran until October 29 of the same year. It reopened for a second season on May 25, 1940, closing for good on September 29. During its two seasons, the exposition drew 17 million visitors to Treasure Island.

The fairgrounds featured a mix of architectural styles, including Art Deco and a new style called "Pacifica," which incorporated elements from various Asian and Latin American cultures. The fair included administrative buildings, hangars for Pan American Airways, a lagoon called the Lake of All Nations, a Court of Honor, a Court of the East, a Court of Pacific, and a large-scale relief map of the Western United States. One of the most notable features was the Tower of the Sun, which served as the identifying structure of the exhibit.

The Golden Gate International Exposition was a significant event, celebrating engineering achievements, showcasing cultural diversity, and providing a brief respite from the economic struggles of the Great Depression. It left a lasting impact on San Francisco and the celebration of Pacific unity.

The US Navy's presence on Treasure Island

Treasure Island, an artificial island in San Francisco Bay, was built in 1936-37 to host the Golden Gate International Exposition, a World's Fair. The island was constructed by the US government and the Army Corps of Engineers, and was named by Clyde Milner Vandeburg, part of the Fair's public relations team.

The US Navy moved onto Treasure Island in 1941 as America prepared for World War II. The Naval Station Treasure Island began as a "reception centre", and the Navy eventually compensated the city for seizing the island with $10 million in improvements to the existing airport. During World War II, the island became a major training and education centre, with 4.5 million personnel shipped overseas. The Navy also used the base as an electronics and radio communications training school, and as a departure and receiving point for sailors in the Pacific.

During the Cold War, the island continued to be a major training, supply, and embarkation station for American military efforts in the Pacific and Asia. The Navy also established a training centre for nuclear decontamination on the island, using a full-size mockup of a navy ship dubbed the USS Pandemonium. Treasure Island housed the "USS Buttercup", a static damage control trainer used for real-time shipboard battle damage repair and control. The Navy's presence on the island continued through the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and the base was also used as a boot camp for naval reservists.

The Naval Station Treasure Island was closed in 1997, and the base was decommissioned and opened to public control. The island is now part of District 6 of the City and County of San Francisco, though it is still owned by the Navy. The Navy's presence on Treasure Island spanned over five decades and played a significant role in America's military efforts during World War II and the Cold War.

The Treasure Island Museum

The island was constructed between 1936 and 1937 by the US Army Corps of Engineers, who transformed a shallow area known as Yerba Buena Shoals into a 400-acre island. The project was a joint effort by the Federal WPA, PWA, the City of San Francisco, and private funds. The island was named Treasure Island as a nod to California's gold rush past.

The original purpose of Treasure Island was to host the 1939-1940 Golden Gate International Exposition, a world's fair celebrating the cultural, economic, and political ascendency of California and San Francisco in the Pacific region. The fair also commemorated the engineering feats of the Golden Gate and San Francisco-Oakland Bridges, as well as the advent of transpacific air passenger service through Pan American Airways Clippers.

The museum is currently closed, but it is planned to reopen as part of the redevelopment project of Treasure Island. The sustainable redevelopment plan has gained recognition for its innovative and green design, with the island set to become a destination for residents and tourists alike, featuring waterfront promenades, public art, and spectacular views. The Treasure Island Museum Association is working to restore the museum and preserve the historic legacy of Treasure Island.

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