Gardena Valley Airport

What secrets lie buried beneath the asphalt and concrete of modern Gardena? We’re standing at the site of the former Gardena Valley Airport, a place that once buzzed with the excitement of early aviation. Gardena Valley Airport wasn’t just a place for planes to land and take off. It was a hub of activity, a training ground for future pilots, and a witness to the evolution of flight. The airport’s location, just two miles south of Hawthorne Airport, made it a convenient spot for local aviators. Gardena Valley Airport even played a role in training student pilots from the University of Southern California under a C.A.A. program. Imagine those young pilots practicing their takeoffs and landings, their dreams soaring as high as the planes they flew. In 1939, Gardena Valley Airport was described as a recently established airport with the potential for development into a capacious Class 2 airport. It was envisioned as a space for private and student flying, helping to alleviate the growing need for private hangar space as Los Angeles Airport shifted its focus to transport lines. It had a single 1,800-foot dirt east/west runway, a hangar, and an office. The airport even had plans for expansion, with an additional plot of land identified for future growth. Gardena Valley Airport, under various names like Western Avenue Airport or simply “Airport,” saw its share of activity. It was once home to Gus Gotch, a 1930s air racer. Its location on a floodplain, however, meant it was often submerged during the rainy season. By 1946, it was firmly established as Gardena Valley Airport. A new, larger hangar was built in early 1946. Harry Gordon, a local high school student, learned to fly here in 1945, capturing aerial views of the airport from a war surplus Aeronca L-3. He recalled a vibrant aviation scene in the post-war Los Angeles basin, with numerous airports dotting the landscape, many of which later vanished beneath housing developments. By 1952, the airport had a paved east/west runway and parallel taxiway, with a ramp and two small buildings on the southeast side. The air was filled with the drone of light aircraft, more than 30 of which could be seen parked on the south side of the runway. Four individual T-hangars lined the north side, while two larger hangars stood to the southeast. However, like many small airfields, Gardena Valley Airport eventually succumbed to the pressures of development. Its story ended sometime between 1952 and 1954. An oval racetrack occupied the eastern part of the property in 1963. One of the larger hangars remained, a silent sentinel of a bygone era. By 1972, even the racetrack was gone, replaced by large buildings. Only the largest hangar stood defiant, a last vestige of Gardena Valley Airport. It finally disappeared between 1980 and 1994, leaving the site to be densely redeveloped. As we stand here today, amidst the hustle and bustle of modern Gardena, it’s hard to imagine the once open fields and the roar of aircraft engines. But the story of Gardena Valley Airport, though now hidden, remains a testament to the pioneering spirit of early aviation and the ever-changing landscape of Los Angeles.