The L.C. Smith Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport opened in 1957 and is scheduled to be replaced by a new one. There have been many fond memories of flights to and from this terminal over the years.
L.C. Smith Terminal
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Over time, there have been numerous additions to the facility that in time would make it one of if not the skankiest terminal in the country. In somewhat of an ironic twist, at this point as shown in these photos, nearly all the newer additions had been carved away leaving little more than the original building much as it had looked in the 1950's.
L.C. Smith Terminal Detroit, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
In September of 2008, the new facility will open and this will be demolished. The maps and models of the new terminal on display show nothing will be where this building currently stands. 04-08
Modernized Corridor
Detroit, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
The modernized corridor goes to the Southwest wing in case you were wondering
For many travelers, the L.C. Smith Terminal wasn't simply another airport terminal. It was the beginning of a vacation, the end of a business trip, or the place where family members gathered for an emotional goodbye. Long before today's sprawling airport complexes, this was the front door to Detroit for millions of passengers. If you grew up anywhere around southeastern Michigan, there's a good chance you've walked through these doors at least once.
Detroit Metropolitan Airport first opened in 1930, but the L.C. Smith Terminal didn't arrive until 1958, right as America was entering the Jet Age. The airport itself was changing rapidly, and the new terminal became a symbol of that exciting era when commercial air travel was becoming faster, more comfortable, and available to more people than ever before. Around the same time, the airport officially adopted the name Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, a title that quickly became familiar to travelers across the country.
Modernized Corridor
Detroit, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Flying was a different experience back then. People often dressed in their best clothes before boarding a flight, restaurants overlooked the ramps, and children pressed their faces against the windows to watch sleek new jetliners taxi toward the runway. Even if you weren't catching a flight, a trip to the airport could be an outing all by itself. The roar of the engines, the smell of jet fuel, and the excitement of watching airplanes come and go made places like the L.C. Smith Terminal destinations in their own right.
Escalators Detroit, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
As the years passed, the terminal became woven into the lives of countless Michiganders. Families began vacations here, college students headed off to school, newlyweds left for honeymoons, and grandparents arrived for holiday visits. Business travelers hurried through the concourses carrying briefcases instead of laptops, while military personnel came and went during times of war and peace. Every gate seemed to have a story unfolding, whether it was a happy reunion or a tearful farewell.
L.C. Smith Terminal
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
The terminal itself wasn't especially flashy, but it had a comfortable familiarity about it. Frequent travelers knew exactly where to check in, where to grab a quick bite to eat, and which window offered the best view of the airplanes. Over the decades, it quietly became part of everyday life, serving generation after generation without asking for much attention.
L.C. Smith Terminal
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Of course, airports never stop changing. Airplanes became larger, passenger numbers climbed, and security requirements transformed the way people traveled. New terminals offered wider concourses, larger gate areas, and modern amenities that the old building simply couldn't provide. When the impressive McNamara Terminal opened in 2002, followed by the North Terminal in 2008, it became clear that the L.C. Smith Terminal's long run was coming to an end.
The last commercial passengers passed through the terminal in September 2008. For a while the building remained standing, quietly serving administrative purposes while thousands of travelers drove past it without realizing its days were numbered. It was a strange sight, seeing a terminal that had once bustled with activity sitting silent beside one of the nation's busiest airports.
L.C. Smith Terminal
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
In 2019, demolition crews finally arrived, bringing down a building that had faithfully served travelers for more than half a century. Today aircraft are parked where the terminal once stood, and the familiar concourses have disappeared completely. Still, for many people, Detroit Metro will always include memories of the L.C. Smith Terminal. It wasn't the fanciest airport building, but it was the place where countless journeys began.
UPDATE: The L.C. Smith Terminal was demolished in 2019, ending more than 50 years of service. While the building is gone, it's still remembered by generations of travelers who passed through its gates. 08-26
L.C. Smith Terminal
L.C. Smith Terminal
Modernized Corridor
Modernized Corridor
Escalators
L.C. Smith Terminal
L.C. Smith Terminal
L.C. Smith Terminal
