Sunset Light on an Empty Road at George Air Force Base

George Air Force Base operated from 1941 until it closed in 1992 under the federal Base Realignment and Closure program, one of many installations cut as Cold War-era defense spending declined. At its peak the base supported thousands of Air Force personnel and their families, with on-base housing built for airmen assigned to tactical fighter training squadrons. Streets, curbs, and driveways from the old neighborhood remain in place today, even as the houses that once lined them have been gutted and left to decay. A portion of the former base was redeveloped as Southern California Logistics Airport, while other sections, including much of the old housing area, were simply left standing empty.