First Municipal Airport in the United States
Arizona Historic Site
[Marker Front:]
This ground was the location
of the
First Municipal Airport
in the
United States
The Tucson City Council approved the
financing for the airport, July 21, 1919
and
the City of Tucson in cooperation
with the Tucson Chamber of Commerce
established and constructed
the airport.
The first plane landed Nov. 20, 1919
Swede Myerhofer, Pilot
[Marker Rear:]
Upon receipt of an official letter from Brig. Gen. “Billy” Mitchell of the U.S. Air Service urging the City of Tucson to provide a municipal airport. Mayor O.C. Parker and Allen B. Jaynes, President of the Chamber of Commerce, appointed a joint committee consisting of the following members:
City of Tuscon
O. C. Parker ? R. E. Fishburn ? H. S. Corbett ? Stanley Kitt ? Folsom Moore
Chamber of Commerce
Allen B. Jaynes ? Orville S. McPherson ? Monte Mansfield ? Kirke Moore ? E. J. Anderson
The committee purchased this 84 acre site from L. H. Manning for $30 an acre. A $5,000 loan from the Consolidated National Bank paid for the property and all necessary improvements and airport facilities.
Marker is at the intersection of South 6th Avenue and West Oklahoma Street, on the right when traveling north on South 6th Avenue.
Courtesy hmdb.org
