On April 29, 1939, a staggering 50,000 people turned out for the dedication of the Sacramento Air Depot, which went on to become McClellan Air Force Base, a critical asset for the United States during World War II and an economic engine for the Sacramento region. Local historians say it was the first event in the region to draw such a massive crowd.
Military dignitaries flew in from Washington, D.C., and B-18 bombers flew overhead. Col. Harold Strauss, Depot Commander, opened the ceremony by saying, “It is difficult to realize that 2 square miles of rolling pasture have been transformed into this marvelous depot.”
Fast forward 80 years, and that pasture has been transformed again. The 230 businesses and organizations at McClellan Park include the U.S. Coast Guard, Cal Fire, U.S. Forest Service, California Department of Transportation, AT&T, Siemens, Sacramento Metropolitan Fire, Mikuni corporate headquarters, Gateway Charter School and Twin Rivers Unified School District administration offices. The business park is 85-90 percent occupied, the airport and its 10,400-foot runway is fully operational, and 18,000 people work there...
Read the full article 'Former Base is Booming' by Comstock's Magazine.