Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Northern Illinois
© 2004, © 2009 by Paul Freeman. Revised 10/17/09.
Ottawa Airport / Skydive Chicago Airfield (revised 10/17/09) - Wagon Wheel Airport (revised 10/15/08)
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Ottawa Airport / Skydive Chicago Airfield (C13), Ottawa, IL
41.36 North / 88.86 West (Southwest of Chicago, IL)
Ottawa Airport, as depicted on the December 1952 Illinois River USAF World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The Ottawa Airport was apparently built at some point between 1946-52,
as it was not depicted on the June 1946 Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the on the December 1952 Illinois River USAF World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the Ottawa Airport as having a 2,900' unpaved runway.
The 1956 IL Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted the Ottawa Airport as having two turf runways: a 2,800' north/south & a 2,000' east/west strip.
The operator & manager was listed as Julius Corsini.
Ottawa Airport had gained a paved runway at some point between 1956-62,
as the 1962 IL Airport Directory (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling)
depicted the field as having a 2,300' paved Runway 5/23, in addition to the 2 previous turf runways.
Several buildings were depicted on the north side of the field.
The operator was listed as Ottawa Flying Service,
and the manager was listed as Julio Corsini.
The 1971 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy) depicted Ottawa Airport
as having a 2,300' paved Runway 5/23 & 2 turf runways.
A total of 7 buildings (hangars?) were depicted on the north side of the field.
Ottawa Airport, as depicted on the May 1971 Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The paved runway at Ottawa was lengthened at some point within the next decade,
as the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury)
described the field as having a 3,400' asphalt Runway 5/23,
in addition to the two turf runways.
The field was described as offering charter, flight instruction, fuel, and tiedowns.
The 1986 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
showed that the primary (paved) Runway 5/23 had gained an 840' overrun on the southwest end.
The 1,563' turf Runway 18/36 was still open,
but the former turf Runway 9/27 had apparently been abandoned.
The field had also gained its own NDB navigational beacon,
located adjacent to the cluster of buildings on the north end of the field.
The 1993 USGS topo map depicted the Ottawa Airport as having a single paved runway.
The Ottawa Airport was renamed "Skydive Chicago" Airfield at some point between 1993-98,
as that is how it was depicted on the 1998 World Aeronautical Chart.
The 1998 USGS aerial photo was apparently taken while the airport was still open.
A single aircraft is visible next to a building at the northeast corner of the field.
The former grass Runway 9/27 was still intact,
but houses had been built along the former grass Runway 18/36.
In June of 1998, Skydive Chicago Airfield was relocated (for reasons unknown)
to a new field 4 miles northeast of the town of Ottawa,
and the Ottawa Airport was presumably closed at that point.
A circa 2007 aerial view looking south at the remains of Ottawa Airport showed that the paved Runway 5/23 remained intact (with a closed runway X symbol),
along with several hangars & some other airport buildings.
The site of Ottawa Airport is located south of the intersection of North 30th Road & Airport Road,
appropriately enough.
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Wagon Wheel Airport (C80), Rockton, IL
42.44 North / 89.07 West (Northwest of Chicago, IL)
A circa 1961 aerial view of Wagon Wheel Airpark from the 1962 IL Airport Directory (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling).
The Wagon Wheel Airport was apparently part of the Wagon Wheel Resort.
According to a 2001 article in the Beloit Daily News,
the Wagon Wheel Resort itself was founded in Rockton by Walt Williamson in 1936.
The original resort burned in a 1945 fire,
but was rebuilt & became a Mecca for celebrities such as Bob Hope & James Dean to perform & vacation.
At its peak, the Wagon Wheel boasted more than 200 rooms, a banquet hall, bowling alley, shops,
candy kitchen, theater, swimming pools, ice skating rink and a church.
The date of construction of the Wagon Wheel Airport has not been determined,
but it was apparently built at some point between 1956-62,
as it was not listed among active airfields in the 1956 IL Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was a circa 1961 aerial view in the 1962 IL Airport Directory (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling).
It depicted the field as having a single 3,190' bituminous northwest/southeast runway,
with a paved ramp along the northwest side.
There did not appear to be any buildings directly at the airport.
The operator was listed as Wagon Wheel Resort,
and the manager was listed as Walter Williamson.
The earliest aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Wagon Wheel Airport
was on the May 1962 Milwaukee Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Wagon Wheel as having a single 3,400' paved runway.
According to Harry Fenton (who worked at the Wagon Wheel Airport from 1977-80),
“Beyer Aviation (Al Beyer, aka, Beyer the Flyer) was the operator from the early 1970's.”
According to a 2002 article in the Beloit Daily News,
Joyce Beals returned to the Wagon Wheel Resort in 1970 to head its airport.
Beals' duties included giving lessons, selling gasoline and chartering flights.
Between her days working inside the resort & on the airstrip,
Beals saw her share of celebrities.
Like most employees of the famed resort, she did not know who was going to arrive in advance.
"The celebrities were a deep dark secret because Miss Manners did want people knocking on her door,'' Beals recalled.
She remembers John Wayne, Ronald Reagan and Shirley Temple visiting the resort,
as well as Jack Nicklaus flying into the airport and taking in a round of golf at the Wagon Wheel's golf course.
Race car driver Bobby Allison used the resort & airport as a stop-over when racing in Rockford.
The 1971 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy) depicted Wagon Wheel Airport
as having a single 3,200' paved Runway 5/23, along with a parallel taxiway on the northwest side
in the middle of which was a ramp, with two small buildings (hangars?).
It indicated that the field was attended during days.
An aerial view of Wagon Wheel Airport from the 1972 IL Airport Directory (courtesy of Bill Pagett).
The directory depicted the field as having a single 3,200' bituminous Runway 5/23,
with a paved ramp along the northwest side of the field with several buildings.
The operator was listed as Beyer Aviation, with the manager being Al Beyer.
According to a 2002 article in the Beloit Daily News,
taking good care of the airport brought Wagon Wheel Airport manager Joyce Beals
notoriety from the resort's owner, Walt Williamson.
In 1975, deciding the buildings at the airport needed a new coat of paint,
Beals purchased both red & white paint for the job.
But unlike the rest of the resort, which was mainly red with white trim,
Beals painted the buildings white & used the red for trim.
She became nervous when Williamson came out to inspect the paint job.
To her surprise, Williamson was pleased with the painted buildings,
and as a thank you invited Beals to dine with him at his table that night.
While eating that night, Williamson asked Beals if she needed anything for the airport.
When she told him she could use a few airplane hangars,
he arranged for the ground to be excavated the next day,
and lumber for the project arrived shortly after.
However, Williamson suffered a heart attack & died a few days later.
"I never got my hangar," Beals said.
Steve Wilson recalled, "The first time I flew into the Wagonwheel Airport was 2/15/77.
At that time there was an FBO open regular hours, and selling fuel.
We used to fly in once in a while, and eat at the lodge
(pleasant walk was about 1/3 mile, or they would provide transportation).
One time my wife & I spent a weekend at the lodge,
and at least twice the Illinois Swift Wing held fly-ins at the Wagonwheel Airport & Lodge in the late 1970's or early 1980's."
According to Harry Fenton (who worked at the Wagon Wheel Airport from 1977-80),
“Beyer Aviation was the operator... through about 1979 when he was kicked off of the airport for back rent.
Pheasant Run Resort bought the resort & installed an FBO that they owned - Philko Aviation.
Philko ran for a year or so before folding up.”
Harry continued, “The resort was owned by Walt Williamson,
and after his death, the resort & airport passed through many owners,
none of which made any improvements & the airport continued to slide into disrepair.
To be honest, in 1979 the runway surface was in pretty bad shape & needed resurfacing.”
Harry continued, “I was there on the last day of commercial operations [1980].
The airport was open for operations for a few more years,
but there was no FBO, no fuel services.
There was one lone airplane based there from 1980-86,
a Beech Bonanza operated by Martin Automatic for corporate use.
Martin purchased the remaining fuel inventory & pumped gas for their own use
until the pump was hit by lightning and broke.”
Steve Wilson recalled, "The last time I was in the airport was on 7/02/84, after a couple years of not going there.
Grass was growing up through cracks in the runway,
the asphalt was heaving in spots, and of course there was no one around;
however, NO X's on the ends of the runway!
We walked to the lodge which was still open, and got a bite to eat.
When asked where we came from, we said "the airport."
To which the lady asked, "What airport?"
I guess it had been closed longer than we thought!"
The runway configuration at Wagon Wheel Airport was depicted in the 1986 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
as being a single 3,200' paved Runway 5/23,
with a parallel taxiway leading to a parking area & ramp.
However, the status of the airport had evidently started to decline,
as it was described as "Unattended", and the remarks said "[Use at] own risk."
According to Harry Fenton, “I'm not sure of the actual date where the airport was officially closed for operations,
but 1986 is as good as any.
The runway surface was utterly shot by the early 1980's
and shrubs, grass, and even small trees were breaking through the surface.”
Harry continued, “Part of the resort, including the airport,
was sold for a housing development called the Woodlands in the late 1980's / early 1990's.”
The Wagon Wheel Resort was sold in 1989 to a group of local investors.
The land was sold again in 1992,
and a five-alarm fire caused more than $1 million worth of damage to the resort.
The Wagon Wheel Airport was no longer depicted at all on the 1993 USGS topo map.
A second fire destroyed the vacant lodge building in 1995,
and the facility has not been operational since.
VIP Holdings bought the property in 1998 during a Winnebago County Sheriff's Department auction.
The Wagon Wheel Airport was depicted as an abandoned airfield on the 1998 World Aeronautical Chart.
As seen in the 1998 USGS aerial photo,
a housing development had been built adjacent to the north side of the former airport,
and two new roads (Williamson Parkway & Falcon Point Place) were in the process of being constructed over the former runway.
The outline of the former runway was still apparent in this photo (although obviously not for long!).
It appears as if all of the hangars & other former airport buildings had been removed.
The buildings on the property burned twice in 1999,
and 2 local men were charged & convicted of arson in connection to the fires.
A 1999 article in the Beloit Daily News indicated that the current owner of the resort property,
VIP Holdings Company, intended to refurbish & reopen part of the facility.
Buck Wyndham reported in 2004, "Despite the fact that it [Wagon Wheel Airport] is totally unrecognizable from the air,
it is still noted as a 'prominent VFR checkpoint' on the newest Chicago sectional chart.
Optimism runs deep at the FAA, I guess."
Harry Fenton reported in 2005, “Ironically, I am buying a house located about 1,000' from where the old airport office once stood.
The former runway location is now covered with condominiums & an old folks home.
The remainder of the Wagon Wheel resort was razed just a couple of months ago
and it is all gone & ownership of the property is in the hands of the courts.”
The site of Wagon Wheel Airport is located east of the intersection of North Main Street & Williamson Parkway.
Thanks to Erik for pointing out this airfield.
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