What’s In a Sign?

2022

Apr 25

The North side of 1411 East Airport Way, North Bend, Oregon

What’s in a sign? Sometimes historic treasures present themselves to us silently, without explanation. I thought a blog post would help me to lay down the information I’ve learned so that I can share it better. I worked at 1411 E. Airport Way in a WWII vintage building for nearly 19 years. Since the early 1990’s FedEx Express has occupied this location at what is now, Southwestern Oregon Regional Airport in North Bend, Oregon.

Some History and Information about the Airport.

ICAO: KOTH IATA: OTH FAA: OTH

The North Bend/Coos Bay Airport was completed and dedicated on July 4th. of 1932.
The U.S. Naval Auxiliary Air Station, North Bend was started in 1936 and commissioned on May 10, 1943.
The airport was transferred to the City of North Bend in 1947 as military surplus property.
The first airline flights were West Coast DC-3s in 1947; successor Hughes Airwest pulled out in 1979.
The City of North Bend transferred management of the airport to the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay in July 1999.
The Coos County Airport District was formed by a general election on December 4, 2002, with ownership and management of the airport transferred to the district in December 2003.

Presently the Airport has been going through an ongoing modernization remodel, with numerous projects to bring the WWII era site to a very much needed modern facility. The Airport serves as a Meca for private and corporate aircraft coming to the area and bringing golfers to the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. The Airport also has commercial flights to San Fransico and seasonal flights to Denver via United Express, aka “Sky West”. The Airport also serves as a local freight destination for both FedEx Express and United Parcel Service, bringing air freight to medical, commercial, and residential customers. The United States Coast Guard Air Station and its regional command “Sector North Bend” have had a presence at the Airport since September 1974. In 2008, the Airport built a new control tower and in 2012 a new terminal was built. Both structures have a unique outer building material that looks and shimmers like a Salmon, which was the concept. Southwestern Oregon Regional Airport is the largest airport on the Oregon Coast, and the only airport with commercial flights.

In 2012, the large iconic “North Bend” hangar burned to the ground. The hangar was in the process of being removed by a construction crew, when an unseen welding/cutting spark caught the building on fire during the night. A new Hangar was built in place of the old one in 2014.

With a little background on the Airport out of the way, that brings me to the first image in the blog which depicts a historical sign on the old FedEx building. The sign was uncovered during the asbestos removal. The sign stated, “The Bay Flying Service”. This made me very curious, as I wanted to learn more about the building I spent nearly 19 years working in with FedEx Express. I posted the picture on several social media platforms, and was directed to a Facebook group called Historic Coos County, where several members contributed answers as to the history of, The Bay Flying Service”. It turns out that the flying service went into business in 1946 and the owner was arrested in 1949 for operating the flying service without a license. Newspaper clippings courtesy of: Historic Coos Country member: Richard Whitwer.

During the week of April 18th. 2022, the old FedEx Express building is no more. With its removal as well as other buildings nearby, the Airport can now reclaim the area for more airplane tarmac or parking. I was very happy to learn about the history of the sign as well as more history behind our airport.

Below are a few more random images taken by me.

I’ve had an attachment to the building for a long time, I remember it being Pegasus Air when I was a kid, and I’ve delivered thousands and thousands of packages from the building. I’m sad to see it come down, but I understand that progress and modernization is essential to the Airports growth and revenue.

Fairwell old friend, thank you for keeping me dry while loading and unloading freight into and out of my truck for all those years, I’m sure all those customers appreciated dry packages even if they didn’t know that you were protecting them from all of those rainy days.

Please feel free to ask questions or make comments below. Don’t forget to subscribe to get notified of future blog posts, and news that I share.

Chris Malone

Raised on the Oregon Coast, I'm a professional photographer and pixel artist, living and playing in Coos Bay, Oregon part of the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

I have a beautiful wife, four children and four grandchildren. I’ve served my country as a helicopter mechanic and crewchief on flight status in the U.S. Army both active duty, and later in the Oregon Army National Guard. I am also a veteran of the first Gulf War. I love learning about photography and love to be outdoors with my camera. I’m also a sci-fi/computer geek and love military history and anything to do with aviation and airplanes!

My interest in photography dates to my childhood, and as a teenager during the 80's Heavy Metal music scene I helped a high school friend photograph concerts and events with metal bands of the era. As a young adult in the U.S. Army, I had to retreat some from film photography due to the costs of developing and raising a young family, but in the late 90's I rekindled my passion for photography with digital point and shoot cameras.

One of my childhood interests has always been aviation, and the love of flying. In 2009, a friend let me borrow a DSLR for a trip to an air show. I had always hoped to one day be able to break the bonds of a point and shoot and reach out and capture those beautiful aircraft up close. I did just that and the photos I took brought tears to my eyes with joy, which led to my first Nikon DSLR purchase. My story continues from there with that passion growing very seriously in 2010.

I’m active member of the Oregon Coast Photographer's Association or "OCPA" and have served on the board of directors and has performed the duties of Secretary and President. Being in a social camera club like the OCPA has been a wonderful experience for me, and I recommend every photographer find a group or club to get involved with. The collective experience of the group is an invaluable tool and wealth of knowledge for any photographer to learn from.

My photography has been published in Landscape Photography Magazine, Oregon Live, and has won numerous awards, ribbons and mentions within the OCPA Camera Club, Coos County Fair, Columbia Council of Camera Clubs, and the Nature Photographers of the Pacific Northwest. I have also had my work on display at the Coos Art Museum in Coos Bay, Oregon, and the Pony Village Mall in North Bend, Oregon, and several businesses around the south coast of Oregon.

Living in the Pacific Northwest and on the Oregon Coast is a true blessing for any photographer. It affords an almost endless variety of shooting locations and subject matter. I enjoy my surroundings and I love to get outdoors and explore new locations as well as revisit old familiar ones. I can often be seen out with fellow photographers during my free time with camera in hand, and I would love for you to say hi if you see me out and about.

https://www.chrismalonephotography.com

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