On this page, the JPL Archivists share historical photos from the JPL Archives. The JPL Archives' mission is to document the rich organizational, mission, and cultural histories of the institution by identifying, collecting, preserving, and making available primary source materials that have value for research by users at JPL/Caltech/NASA and the wider public.
The content presented here should be viewed in the context of the time period. Our intent is to present the history of JPL in a factual manner that uses primary resources and historical context. We recognize that some information or images do not reflect the current values, policies, and mission of JPL.
Slice of History
July 2024
July 2024
P-34, 1952-02-01
In 1952, members of the Transportation Department had driven approximately one-quarter million miles of safe driving. That’s nothing compared to everything they handle at JPL today!
The Transpo team has grown and evolved significantly since this group photo was taken in the early days of JPL, and today they balance work in project and program support, dock operations, and shuttle support, among dozens of other ad hoc duties they provide on the fly, as needed by various parties across Lab. From forklift operations that assist with heavy material transport, to delivery of all procurements throughout the Lab, providing the JPL day bus and JPL-Caltech shuttle, and conducting VIP tours, the Transpo team really does it all to keep the Lab running around the clock!
Be sure to look out for the team’s amazing work on Slack, with posts under #TranspoGang with their motto “Transpo Leads the Way!” CL#24-0507
Transpo 2023 by Erik Mcgarity, 2024-01-02
In 1952, members of the Transportation Department had driven approximately one-quarter million miles of safe driving. That’s nothing compared to everything they handle at JPL today!
The Transpo team has grown and evolved significantly since this group photo was taken in the early days of JPL, and today they balance work in project and program support, dock operations, and shuttle support, among dozens of other ad hoc duties they provide on the fly, as needed by various parties across Lab. From forklift operations that assist with heavy material transport, to delivery of all procurements throughout the Lab, providing the JPL day bus and JPL-Caltech shuttle, and conducting VIP tours, the Transpo team really does it all to keep the Lab running around the clock!
Be sure to look out for the team’s amazing work on Slack, with posts under #TranspoGang with their motto “Transpo Leads the Way!” CL#24-0507
Access Previous Historical Photos of the Month
Each below photo will link to the full size image on Pub-Lib. In the upper right hand corner, click on the three dots, then click on Details to see the full caption of each image.
For more previous photos, please click here.
P-21874A
Clubs have historically been a crucial element of JPL’s culture – from sports clubs, to car clubs, to social clubs, employees could find a group on Lab no matter their interests! New clubs could even be formed by popular opinion, like that of JPLers Don Gray, Hal Gordon, Bonnie Kerr, Steve Wissler, and Jack Lorell, known as JPL’s unicycle enthusiasts!
According to an August 1979 issue of Universe, this group published a call to action: “You cyclists out there who find that one wheel is enough are invited to help form a JPL unicycle club…By forming the club, a group of JPL unicyclists hopes to gain wider participation in the activity and a new offshoot, unicycle hockey. Unicycle hockey, its proponents say, is more intense than jogging, more competitive than golf, more social than tennis and more challenging than skateboarding. At the very least, it’s different.” CL#24-1056
P-21874B
Clubs have historically been a crucial element of JPL’s culture – from sports clubs, to car clubs, to social clubs, employees could find a group on Lab no matter their interests! New clubs could even be formed by popular opinion, like that of JPLers Don Gray, Hal Gordon, Bonnie Kerr, Steve Wissler, and Jack Lorell, known as JPL’s unicycle enthusiasts!
According to an August 1979 issue of Universe, this group published a call to action: “You cyclists out there who find that one wheel is enough are invited to help form a JPL unicycle club…By forming the club, a group of JPL unicyclists hopes to gain wider participation in the activity and a new offshoot, unicycle hockey. Unicycle hockey, its proponents say, is more intense than jogging, more competitive than golf, more social than tennis and more challenging than skateboarding. At the very least, it’s different.” CL#24-1056
P-520A
An example of JPL’s historical and ongoing approach to public health, these photos document an on-Lab X-Ray clinic that was hosted in conjunction with the Pasadena Tuberculosis Association. This mobile X-Ray unit was stationed “immediately east of the JPL First Aid Room” all day on 27 July 1955, when these photos were taken. JPLers were invited to “use this opportunity to obtain a chest x-ray on Laboratory time,” and encouraged to perform annual chest x-rays as a preventative health measure.
This became an annual health checkpoint for JPL during the 1950s, and staff would line up to take advantage. In this photo (left to right) Sylvia Granath, Ed Quick, Marie Mandroian, Dee Campbell, Ed Hane, and Russell Waldo climb the “stairway to health” and wait their turns. According to the August 1955 issue of Lab-Oratory, “[l]ast year, 437 JPL [staff] took advantage of this Laboratory service, showing an increased interest this year in preventative personal health.” CL#22-6272
P-520B
An example of JPL’s historical and ongoing approach to public health, these photos document an on-Lab X-Ray clinic that was hosted in conjunction with the Pasadena Tuberculosis Association. This mobile X-Ray unit was stationed “immediately east of the JPL First Aid Room” all day on 27 July 1955, when these photos were taken. JPLers were invited to “use this opportunity to obtain a chest x-ray on Laboratory time,” and encouraged to perform annual chest x-rays as a preventative health measure.
This became an annual health checkpoint for JPL during the 1950s, and staff would line up to take advantage. In this photo (left to right) Sylvia Granath, Ed Quick, Marie Mandroian, Dee Campbell, Ed Hane, and Russell Waldo climb the “stairway to health” and wait their turns. According to the August 1955 issue of Lab-Oratory, “[l]ast year, 437 JPL [staff] took advantage of this Laboratory service, showing an increased interest this year in preventative personal health.” CL#22-6272
Contact information for the JPL Archives:
- Archives Guide and Application
- Records and Archives Collection Guidance
- Email archives@jpl.nasa.gov
If you have questions about historical photos, or about the history of JPL, please contact the JPL Archives.