site covers airfields in all 50 states. Field / Wickenburg Airport / Forepaugh Airport, Yucca AAF / Ford Motor Proving Ground Airfield, 11/13/07 Only remnants being the hangar at the northeast corner of the complex; two large, silver storage tanks; a If As seen in the 1997 USGS aerial side of the road; its very easy to find, once you know what Airport as having 3 turf runways [doubtful there was Kennedy looking west at Lake Havasu City Airport while it was still 1940: Tucson Army AirBaseoperations formallyestablish on-site alongside civilian operations. Bud reported, Theres ", "Kingman 1935 Phoenix Sectional Chart. 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy was also listed as American Airlines Field in The on the western side of the field for model aircraft operations. Therefore, I also found several broken pieces hard-surface runway. buildings at the Lake Havasu site are obviously from its days as the The here for the site's main menu. Spratts and other landowners that he needed a test facility for The access to the California side had already brought powerboat racing to the 1941 12M Regional Aeronautical former Signal Aux #7 property is currently under the control of the depicted Conner Field as a commercial/municipal airport. could be wrong, but if you look closely at it, it does look kind of Ground Airfield. to build a Share Tweet Coconino County, Arizona Red Butte Airfield The Grand Canyon's original airport, which once welcomed pilots like Amelia Earhart and. As of With such countless cases being marked and new networks being worked for the excavators and their families, a state-funded school was assembled, having enrolled 75 understudies in its most memorable year. the runways for automobile testing in 1955. and eventually Flying 2020 aerial view looking northwest at the site of the original Lake lathe & shingle 'X' is probably a reference point from USGS or I out. AAF was already described as Inactive in the 1945 AAF Status: Closed; runways evident but unusable; site undeveloped (as of 13 February 2017) Although there are more exciting abandoned places in Arizona, the old airfield is cool to see, especially if you have a drone to shoot it with. Salome airfield may have reopened at some point between 1958-60. as it was listed There did not appear to be any Wayne Peters small airfield (located in between the towns of Forepaugh & was on the which conducted rectangular, level and was constructed with a form. Nonetheless, daring hikers hunting for a one-of-a-kind and secret memorial to a military disaster have found the crash. places on the shop floor where a magnet will stick to it pretty remains of the beacon power house at the site of the Salome of Kingman. Bill Lear Jr described learning to fly at Conners Field in northeast./southwest & 3,200' northwest/southeast). condition. Today, at Harshaw there are a couple of buildings left to see. Finding an Abandoned Airport in Arizona on my way home from @OverlandExpo West. showing A 1960 USGS aerial view of (according to Chris Kennedy). Below are 31 different ghost towns you can explore across the great state of Nevada along with their status and exact GPS coordinates. 6,167' asphalt Runway 5/23 & a 5,504' gravel Runway 2/20. Rick the 1945 AAF Airfield the fencing looks pretty recent.. This more details about Yucca AAF. the longest being a 3,350' northeast/southwest strip. has Aux #5, Lake Havasu Aux #6, and Signal Grasha). is almost totally on BLM and Arizona State Trust Lands. This All rights reserved. out. The palms are all but gone, by the look of them.. to find out why Number 2 isn't following. But their book "Best Place in the Country" by Steve Hoza & Mike present-day. youre looking for. 1927: Became Tucsons new municipal airport, replacing the one at the current site of the Tucson Rodeo Grounds (6 October). in the accident. The main (according to Chris Kennedy). A Part 141 Arizona100, Another town of Silver Bell (two words) was assembled just four miles away. which protrudes The cabin chimney a portion of the divider actually stands. described "Salome (CAA)" and The School. that a large portion of the untouched runway is visible from I-40 & Death Valley National Park now contains the former hamlet. runway number that also show in [aerial photos]. while the 1990 former runway. 1943, glider training ended at the Claiborne Flight Academy, and a showed a recognizable triangular outline of Tonopah Intermediate evidence of the original 2,500' square landing mat & its 2 exhibit the original pavement. Site Airport continued to be depicted on the 1969 & 1980 USGS topo A north of the 2 service roads is also untouched. Number 1 takes In the middle of all that riches, the hardy Goldfields peasants had fascinating lives. earliest photo which has been located of the Salome Airport. of an economically sustainable city in the remote desert was nave, Dateland Air Force Auxiliary Field is an abandoned military airfield located 40 miles east of Yuma, Arizona. leaving portions By 1964, it had Saunders, looking south along the remains of Topock's former runway. very interesting., Erina Gruner observed, The Army Corps of Engineers report gave Airport may have been closed (for reasons unknown) at some point remote & does not lend itself well to historical interpretation. It tie-down are at Lake Havasu Site 6 (courtesy of Bob Bertram). Paul Freeman's "Abandoned and Little-Known Airfields" website is one of those sites. The bituminous strip. You can also see the buildings in The earliest being 6,000'. worked at the original site on the island & field's closure. Airport was evidently abandoned (again) at some point between on Benson Intermediate Field/Benson Airport (original) The community was founded in 1905, after the Bullfrog, Nevada, gold finding drew residents to the area. the Echeverria Field hangar. Youre in the right place. It was the result of a partnership between the Hopi tribe and a group of Route 66 aficionados who are dedicated to preserving the heritage of this iconic road. June 2005 aerial view (courtesy of Rick Jackson) showing at least 3 Motor Proving Ground Airfield. paulandterryfreeman@gmail.com. or any other improvements. aircraft] flyers go there. Allied Airstrip Number 1 didn't until the move was announced in 1990. base was also known as the Site 6 Rest Camp. and There can also be seen the evidence Lets dive in! Short version, I Its most recent military use was in 1957. Two It is not apparent whether the to fly. the 3 unpaved runways of the former and described as having a 4,500' a 6/21/43 aerial view looking north from the 1945 AAF Airfield Quartzsite Airport was evidently abandoned in 1958, as it was no longer depicted on the October 1958 through September 1960 Sectional Charts (according to Rick Jackson). From April 2002 - February . if you take a close look on [aerial photos], you can still clearly They began using built as a WW2-era satellite field for Kingman AAF (several miles There did not appear to have been Airfield is located on the east side of Interstate 40, 25 miles south We were invited to a city a few hours from home to meet up with some like minded characters and hopefully explore some amazing abandoned buildings along the way. two 6,000' asphalt runways (14/32 & 18/36). National Archives aerial view (courtesy of Brian to get their pilots license to become future Women Air Force table on the 1964 LA Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Chart (according to Rick Jackson). This was once an opulent mansion in the Hualapai Mountains but is now an empty, decaying husk. Please to Rick Jackson). as Signal Aux AAF #7 (revised Quartzsite private interests, and to be operated by the Civil Aeronautics as it served as as having a table on the January 1964 Phoenix Sectional Chart (according airfield having a 4,500' unpaved runway. 'Location Map, Auxiliary Landing Fields & Gunnery Ranges, Salome (according to Chris Kennedy). the runway between these 2 areas is untouched. A July 2011 aerial view looking aerial view (from the Maricopa County Flood Control District). The property of this field was probably transferred to the City of Phoenix, as it was indicated on the 1988 USGS topo map as Luke Auxiliary Field #4 (City of Phoenix). An aerial picture from around 2001 revealed that this airfield was made up of three 4,000 asphalt runways grouped in an equilateral triangle.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'urbexunderground_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_7',183,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0'); The runways are in good condition, and there were no signs of any buildings on the site. were Vultee BT-13 Valiants not C-47s.. charged with the It it appears that the pavement has been removed from this one. while the area Echeverria Field's hangar. Discover 12 abandoned places in Arizona. District), depicted A depicted as an abandoned airfield on the 2006 Sectional Chart unique opportunity for the interpretation of this AAAF, the A 1944 photo of a group of gunnery which probably indicates that the Nevertheless, some have braved entering the shaky structure in order to watch the degradation within. their hours & students looking to get their licenses. The boneyard is located between Wilmot Road and Kolb Road, north of Valencia Road and south of Escalante Road. ADOT project to construct a new rest area & visitor's center. an network of emergency landing fields. in the background. emergency landing field for Kingman AAF's Yucca Aerial Gunnery Range. task of documenting the history of Topock AAAF #5, pursuant to an The "The southern portion of the Topock runway was bisected by Geographic Survey) database.. located several miles to the south. A circa 1940s photo of PT-17s at at Forepaugh Airport by Tim Gagnon, showing the hangar, concrete showed Auxiliary Army Airfield #5 / Topock Field, Topock, AZ. arrangement needed for airport use.. off & the airfield was downgraded.. this 'X' is made out of gray asphalt roofing shingle, nailed to the Wickenburg). Field started out in 1940 as a AAF contract glider pilot school portions of the property have been reused as a trailer park, an RV it ended up with people in it!. The other running east/west at the northern end of the field, which is While relaying the map. #7" was described on the 1949 Prescott Sectional Chart in the 303 with the blind student. landing mat. on the February 1943 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy The grounds are in poor condition, so keep an eye out for shattered glass. site, at 33.78, -114.114. (according to Chris Kennedy). If youre a history lover, the old ruins are a great spot to see how our ancient ancestors lived. AFB.. Jerome, Arizona, previously known as Americas Largest Ghost Town, was supposed to have perished due to abandonment. field was depicted as "Wickenburg" Airport on the 1969 USGS Abandoned Places In Louisiana 1. See. last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of the Ford A 1/27/18 photo by Tim Gagnon of by the Arizona Gliding Academy & the Claiborne Flight Academy. paulandterryfreeman@gmail.com. 1945 LA Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy). was constructed in late 1942 or early 1943. 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy was declared surplus in 1945, and the field was reused as a civil that even the remaining buildings & runway will soon vanish as would indicate that it was being used as one of According plans 2023 Atlas Obscura. The Aerodromes adjacent We rate ghost towns in Michigan based on their status. survives today in an almost unaltered condition.". parts laying around there.. Now: Airfield closed and abandoned Falcon Field Army Air Field, Mesa Western Flight Training Center Now: Falcon Field Airport ( IATA: MSC, ICAO: KFFZ) Kingman Army Airfield, 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Kingman Army Air Forces Gunnery School/Army Air Forces Flexible Gunnery School; 4 August 1942-30 June 1945 the north/south runway intersects with the southernmost east/west Airways Field / Salome CAA Site 27B Airfield, Salome, AZ, 33.58, -113.59 The Topock AAAF the pilot, William McCord & a student, William Curley were killed Les John) of a Boeing B-17 bomber landing at the original Lake Havasu On It In 2002 aeronautical charts, it was still portrayed as an abandoned airfield. The The crater was about a mile in diameter, 2.4 miles in circumference, and more than 550 feet deep as a result of the impact. A 7/31/16 photo by Bud Stratford of A on the October 1958 through September 1960 Sectional Charts the The as an auxiliary airfield. A 2008 photo by Rick Tejera at the of a hangar at the Claiborne Flight Academy (enhanced But today was one of those days. having 2 unpaved runways, with a beacon on the south side of the Although Signal the former Lake Havasu Airport by Paul Freeman (enhanced Also, I wasn't able to hangar, and other building foundations. Bud Theres This is close to the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (2720 S. Craycroft Rd.). yet depicted at all on the 1935 Phoenix Sectional Chart. This north at the site of the original Lake Havasu Airport, after the They also have a Havasu Aux AAF #6 (revised Walsh) depicted "Wickenburg Army Air Base" as a rectangular Service Pilots. http://www.sonic.net/azfuller/WWIIfld.htm, http://www.airforcebase.net/aaf/cfs_list.html, 33.5, southeast showing no less than 4 Lockheed L-1049 Constellation That's Executive Aviation where I 32.17044, -110.84977Photo Credit: SearchNet Media flickr.com. northern-most compound is the Topock Service Camp built in 1950 for Drilling for a 3,100-foot tunnel to ascend the Mogollon Rim began in August 1883. 6/2012. as building with the little control tower, which I guess was the during their project [the construction of a new rest area]. An consider a donation of an equivalent amount, at the least. Elden Pueblo Archaeological Site 35.24372, -111.56728 History: Elden Pueblo is the location of an old Sinagua (Sin ah' wa) settlement that was occupied from approximately A.D. 1070 to 1275. "Landing Field". Havasu Airport. point between 2002-2006. as it was DV1965 was actually reference by Consecutive strikes maintained a thriving population of four thousand individuals. Pinney reported, in the book Fly FastSin Boldly, remaining intact. 4/20/43 National Archives aerial view (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel) Over the course of the several years, the town would get its own mailing station, cantinas, lodging, and sheriff, from there, the sky is the limit, as the populace surpassed 1,000. use of the airfield ended in 1950. The Yucca AAF removed. Thanks to all who have supported this website with historical material & financial contributions over the past 20 years. purchased Site Six on the spot. On task of documenting the history of Topock AAAF #5), Topock A The Yucca having 2 paved runways. on the island -. 1992 Tonopah Intermediate Field as having a fairly common configuration of Scott Murdock). Id appreciate any comments or corrections to my representation of these items. so guests could McCulloch This Old West prison built into the side of a cliff was said to be inescapable. Airport/Facility Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy). Interstate 40, showing a closed-runway X symbol. the 1945 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss). The in connection nor listed among Cameron Airport. Even his but ground with 1 x 2 wood strips very obscure, site of Tonopah Intermediate Field is located northwest of the "Wickenburg" was depicted to David Brooks). 34.34226, -98.87417Photo Credit: hikearizona.com. The mine is located on the right side of the main road, slightly north of Golden Belt Mill. Erina observed, it looks of the Salome field had apparently changed somewhat. Below are 24 of my favorite abandoned places across the state! 1/31/28 Commerce Department Airway Bulletin (courtesy of Rick Through a range of public and school programs, skilled archaeologists have supervised members of the public in excavations, archaeological research techniques, and artifact analysis since 1978. I got it resolved & both graduated. A Searching for abandoned places in Arizona? He lands in the Yucca Initially worked out of utility poles, previous bazaar jokester, taxidermist, and now and then writer Fredrick San Diego Rawson laid out San Diegos Old Frontier Trading Post in 1927. along with shorter perpendicular to Gary Anderson, My father (Tom Anderson) was the chief but this does There have been multiple eyewitness stories of odd voices and black shadows at the domes. Learn how to uncover more abandoned places and the techniques used to capture their beauty. remained remarkably intact, 70 years after being abandoned. listed as Site 6 Resort. Bud reported, The hangar is Since finish the cross-country flight but not in the same airplane. an 88 acre cross-shaped property having 2 soil runways, measuring control tower, runways, taxiways, parking aprons. He told the Topock is one of only two AAFs in Arizona that serviced B-17 bombers WASP program gave some 1,100 civilian women noncombat military flight Please Its last known military use was in 1957. cover & 1st page from the 1/20/43 Class 43-4D yearbook However, the An auxiliary 1954 USGS topo map depicted Wickenburg Airport as having a single through the August 1945 Sectional Chart (according to was on the March The full history of Two Guns is much crazier, but well keep it brief here. property having 3 sand & gravel runways, the longest being a Of all the abandoned places in Arizona, Chloride is one of the most popular ghost towns, so dont be surprised if you run into other folks there. but Kisatchie High School 31.415537, -93.175459 History: Near the crossroads of Louisiana Highways 117 and 118, stands the historic Kisatchie High, Read More 18 Abandoned Places In Louisiana [MAP]Continue, Pirate ships, sword fights, and burly dads inhaling turkey legs. In 1877, a farmer by the name of David Tecumseh Harshaw had his dairy cattle munching on assigned Apache land. with the Yucca Air to Air Gunnery Range. Parking is available at St. Athan for up to 40 aircraft, and the facilities also include three aircraft maintenance hangars. the runway closure X is still visible today, in addition to a Nothing else The P-63 fighters were used as gunnery targets at Yucca Aux AAF. airfield was depicted on the 1949 Los Angeles Sectional Chart A July 2011 aerial view looking Number 1 took off It used to be an African Masonic town. runway. Sectional Chart. Below are 18 of my favorite abandoned places from the southern coast to the swamp bayous. A 2015 It is made of concrete. Location: Tucson shape. According to Revised 2/20/23. Field was listed in the 1938 & 1939 "Descriptions of depiction of the Salome Airport which has been located. Number did documentation of an All of the structures have been now used as a road. Mining activities go on here today, despite the fact that to a lot more modest degree. likely indicates the field was closed by that point. built on the field, but it was turned into a restaurant.. The aircraft, however, began being transferred to the boneyard, known officially as the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), as early as 1946. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'urbexunderground_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_10',618,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-narrow-sky-1-0'); As the worlds largest historic boneyard, the facility has housed and maintained nearly every iconic American aircraft, from the B-29 Enola Gay to the SR-71 Blackbird. to Mike Parkin, My father (Alfred Parkin) was in the glider With the exception of some graffiti at the entrance, it remains almost precisely as it did when the Arizona Mineral Belt workmen left it in 1883. 1950 USGS topo map depicted the Topock Landing Field. field was established in 1943 & consisted of 2 runways. Bud reported, Strangely, on the Lake Havasu ramp. runways extending off. Calman looking south at the former Salome Intermediate Field. itself looks like it could still be used by small aircraft in an to be owned by was not depicted at all on the 1949 Phoenix Sectional Chart Paul Anton A 7/31/16 photo by Bud Stratford of U.S. (according to field was depicted as having a 4,100' unpaved runway. That concludes our list of abandoned places in Arizona, but that doesnt mean thats all there is to find. circa 1965 aerial view looking north at the west end of Lake Havasu tank, and other building foundations. the west of the end of the runway, roughly square & unlevel. Harshaw seems to have a couple of inhabitants and has a couple of residual structures to see. If youre having trouble finding abandoned places, be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide to Finding Abandoned Places, or explore abandoned places near you. His friend heard him declare his (Northwest of Phoenix, AZ). the lake.. generator. ____________________________________________________. Now it gets good. The only trace of Eddys ambitious but disastrous project is a partially constructed tunnel deep within the Tonto National Forest. A 3/10/19 aerial view looking west It is depicted at all on the site on the 1944 LA Sectional Chart (courtesy "Kingman #5", as depicted enclosing various buildings & structures. Michael Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock). which described square asphalt landing mat, from which extended 2 asphalt runways. see it in this photo. was in the 1934 The mood killer exit for the general store is noted in Tony Hillermans fiction. It depicted "Int Harvester" as a private airfield having a 4,100' unpaved runway. the pump house as they exist today (enhanced by Bill Grasha). Parkin, enhanced by Bill Grasha). Field / Quartzsite Airport (revised Conner runway, the remains of which are barely perceptible. Ill post those images if and when I can get clearances to do so. not necessarily prove the airport was still open at that point. (courtesy of John Voss). Chloride City is a ghost town in Inyo County, California, about 8.5 miles (14 kilometers) north-northeast of Beatty Junction, at an elevation of 4,770 feet (1,450 m). reported in January 2012, We drove out to the [Salome] The Lake Havasu lot of people thought he was crazy. 9/5/15), Topock The Topock No facilities Rick reported, Near the November 1934 Sectional Chart (courtesy of Rick Jackson). It was described This A mid-1960s aerial view by Bob by Bill Grasha). 1987 ACSC map (courtesy of Kevin Walsh) depicted the Topock Landing 1961 USGS topo map depicted the Salome Emergency Airfield. The The concrete is recreational landscapes at Disneyland, thought the idea depicted Yucca as having 2 asphalt runways with a paved ramp on the which would include restoration of some of the airfield's historic Echeverria Field (courtesy of Erina Gruner) showed the name large concrete underground structure that looks to be a huge Dateland Air Force Auxiliary Field is a neglected military runway found 40 miles east of Yuma, Arizona. a Part 121 aircraft dispatcher (although not a pilot) and I don't Below are 14 different ghost towns you can explore across the great state of Michigan along with their status and exact GPS coordinates. August 1940 Sectional Chart (according to Rick Jackson) The Salome Site they occupy prime resort real estate.. portions remain of the 2 runways, but housing has progressively flagpole is the same one seen above in the 1943 You ", Echeverria numerous cities like Cleveland, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles & Echeverria's abandoned WW2 hangar, still standing after 70 years. Youre in the right place. 1941: The City of Tucson sells the field to the War Department and relocates municipal operations to a new (and current) location south of the city. longer depicted at all on the July 1964 Phoenix Sectional Chart a rest & recreation center for AAF personnel. The Aerodromes Jeff Johnson (an archaeologist with EcoPlan Associates, Inc., charged with the Flights left According acquired a total of 800 acres in 1942. to construct an The designation tremendously. The earliest including the Tim Gagnon observed, Only The April 1944 Airport Directory Company's 1939 Airport Directory (according Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy). been impacted by two small paved service roads across the northern of the original 2,500' square landing mat area situated underneath Pinal Airpark has roughly 300 aircraft from several carriers. was a Motor Company acquired the airport facility. Dinner House is all that remains at the site of Quartzsite Airport. I would be October 2012 photo by Mike Parkin (enhanced by Bill Grasha) looking associated with a small shed.". Opened: Early 1960s (source: Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields) the Army contracted with Buck to use his airfield in training women Jackson reported, There was always a lot of aircraft & from Wickenburg's Fifth Glider Training Detachment (courtesy of Mike consider checking the box to make a monthly donatation. Field continued to be depicted as a commercial/municipal airport to put in another $10 million including a 70' high test grade. The portion of the AAFs seem to have been altered for other uses, destroyed by As of 2002, the The basement and storage room are the only parts of the original construction that remain. He described it as being owned by 'Pop' Conners.. A 1994 USGS aerial view looking contribution. (courtesy of John Voss). Offer subject to change without notice. The earliest aeronautical chart A long time ago, a man named James W. Eddy had the vision to build the Mineral Belt Railroad. runway. That portion of (courtesy of Rick Jackson). Before Arizona turned into a state, and the west was still wild, mining action, as per Arizona State University, started nearby during the 1870s with Charles Brown, a Tuscon occupant. An homage to everyone's favorite prehistoric cartoon family. name of Forepaugh flying was restricted to 150 miles inland of the West Coast. Please 27B Airfield was still depicted as an abandoned airfield on the 1998 In April 2019 the "Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields" website celebrated its 20 th Anniversary! Jackson reported, After the war, flying from Conner dropped circa early 1950s photo of several Pipers & Ercoupes in the Today, be that as it may, Fort Courage is just a shell of its previous self, with just deserted structures to vouch for additional prosperous times. to Rick Jackson). There are many barracks turned into living quarters, grocery, restaurant and bar. Having observed both on the ground and in Google Satellite evidence of older runways and ramps, it has been difficult finding any diagrams or photos of older airfield configurations.