Unfinished History
Treasure Island taking shape in 1938. After two years as a celebratory World's Fair, it became a military base at the outset of WWII. Yerba Buena Island ("Goat Island") is at left of center.
Treasure Island view from the air, Oct. 11, 1940.
Photo: SFMTA Photo D4455A
Photo: Private Collection, San Francisco, CA
Illustration of the planned airport for Treasure Island after the World's Fair. Once the Navy took over the airport plans were scuttled.
Image: courtesy Tim Drescher
Footage from SFO in 1941, followed by images of the PanAm Clipper circling around in Clipper Cove off Treasure Island.
Video: from "Lost Landscapes #1, 2007" courtesy Prelinger Archives
Kodachrome footage of the San Francisco World's Fair, held on Treasure Island.
Video: Prelinger Archive, original filmmaker unknown
1997 view of Treasure Island from Yerba Buena Island just to its south. Building in lower right is being used as a movie studio, while the entire island is about to be given back to the city of San Francisco. There is a lot of seismic and toxic mitigation work ahead to make it useful. The building in the center was a Nazi airport in an Indiana Jones movie.
Photo: Chris Carlsson