Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Northern Indiana
© 2002, © 2008 by Paul Freeman. Revised 7/5/08.
Aretz Airport (revised 7/10/06) - Halsmer Airport (revised 7/5/08) - Michigan City Municipal (revised 10/24/03)
NOLF 11713 / Converse Airport (revised 12/13/07) - NOLF 23008 / Galveston Airport (revised 3/23/04)
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Michigan City Municipal Airport (C39), Michigan City, IN
41.67 North / 86.89 West (Southeast of Chicago, IL)
Michigan City Municipal Airport, as depicted on the 1961 Chicago Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airport has not been located.
This former airport was located on the south side of the town of Michigan City.
It is not to be confused with the similarly-named Michigan City Airport,
which is located on the east side of the town.
The date of construction of Michigan City Municipal Airport is unknown.
It was not depicted at all on the 1946 Chicago Sectional chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
According to Russ, "The American Air Mail Society Catalogue lists an airport dedication cover
for Michigan City Municipal for October 11, 1948… probably its official opening date."
The earliest chart depiction of Michigan City Municipal Airport which has been located
was on the 1961 Chicago Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field as having a single 2,200' paved runway.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Michigan City Municipal Airport
as having a single 2,200' bituminous Runway 4/22,
and listed the operator as the Board of Aviation Commissioners.
Michigan City Municipal Airport, as depicted on the 1969 Chicago Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The 1980 USGS topo map depicted the field as having a small paved ramp
with several hangars on the west side of the runway.
By the time of the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury),
Michigan City Municipal Airport was described as having a 2,400' asphalt Runway 5/23.
The operator was listed as Lake Air Corporation.
Michigan City Municipal Airport evidently closed at some point between 1982-95.
According to Dick McCloskey, it “was abandoned & later sold in about 1995.”
Michigan City Municipal Airport evidently closed at some point between 1982-98.
The 1998 USGS aerial photo shows that the site of the former airport
had been obliterated by the construction of a large building over the middle of the property.
The outline of the former runway can still be barely recognized,
on either side of the new building.
Other than that, not a trace remains of the former airport.
Dick McCloskey reported in 2005, “The site of Michigan City Municipal Airport is now a shopping mall.”
The site of Michigan City Municipal Airport is located northeast of the intersection of Route 421 & East Kieffer Road.
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Aretz Airport (3AR), Lafayette, IN
40.46 North / 86.83 West (Northwest of Indianapolis, IN)
Aretz Airport, as depicted in the 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Aretz Airport was apparently opened at some point between 1946-53,
as it was not depicted as an active airfield on the 1946 Chicago Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The earliest reference to Aretz Airport which has been located is the 1953 Flight Chart (courtesy of Scott O'Donnell).
The 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Aretz as having two unpaved 3,000' runways (7/25 & 11/29),
along with a cluster of small buildings on the west side of the field.
In the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory,
Aretz Airport was described as having two 3,000' turf runways (4/22 & 14/32),
and the operator was listed as Aretz Flying Service.
By the time of the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury),
Aretz had a 2,800' asphalt Runway 7/25 & a 2,900' turf Runway 11/29.
Mark Bailey instructed for Ruth Aretz from 1987-91.
A Piper Warrior in front of a hangar at Aretz Airport (photo by John Clear, 1995).
Final approach to Artez's Runway 7, (photo by John Clear, 1995).
John Clear recalled, "I flew out of Artez from 1991-96.
The identifier was 3AR until sometime after I left & it was changed to IN## (don't recall what it was).
In addition to the Artez flight school,
it was also home to Purdue Pilots, the Purdue flight club
(which is different from the Purdue aviation program at LAF)."
Aretz closed as a public-use airport in about 1997, and became a private field.
In the 1999 USGS aerial photo (taken shortly before the field's closure),
in addition to the paved & grass runways,
the field had a total of five hangars connected by paved taxiways,
and three single-engine aircraft were visible parked outside.
Aretz Airport closed at some point between 1999-2002.
It was no longer depicted at all (even as an abandoned airfield) on 2002 aeronautical charts.
As an aside, Terry Aretz pointed out that the closing of Aretz Airport
was noted by Paul Harvey on his national radio show as a sad day for private aviation.
According to Terry Aretz (a relative of the owner of Aretz Airport), after the airport owner retired,
she tried to sell the property as an airport, but was not successful.
She eventually sold the land to a non-aviation business.
In Terry's words, "Tough times for small airports anymore."
A circa 2001-2005 aerial view looking east along Aretz's former Runway 7,
with the hangars in the foreground.
Note that the former grass Runway 11/29 was no longer evident at all.
Aretz Airport is located southeast of the intersection of Route 25 & E 300 N.
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Halsmer Airport (3HM), Lafayette, IN
40.39 North / 86.8 West (Northwest of Indianapolis, IN)
Halsmer Airport, as depicted on the 1946 Chicago Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
As described on the 1988 Indiana Aeronautical Chart,
Halsmer Airport was the result of a dream of three brothers who became hooked on aviation after a trip to an air show in 1927.
Frances, John and Joseph Halsmer built their 1st planes in 1931,
and taught themselves how to fly on their father's dairy farm,
which soon became Halsmer's Airport.
While all three Halsmer brothers taught flying, they also performed additional managerial, inspection, and licensing duties.
Joe Halsmer in front of the Halsmer Aircar, a roadable aircraft built in 1958-59.
During WW2 the brothers served in the AAF
but returned soon after to form Halsmer Flying Service where they continued giving lessons and flying charters.
Joseph turned the airport into his personal workshop where he invented the Aero Car,
the Halsmer Safety Twin, and a push-pull airplane with fore & aft propellers.
He also claimed several records, including one for the fastest turbo-prop trans-Atlantic flight.
The 1953 Flight Chart (courtesy of Scott O'Donnell) described Halsmer Airport as having a 4,000' runway.
The 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Halsmer as having a 4,000' paved Runway 3/21 & a 3,900' unpaved Runway 15/33,
along with several buildings along the west side of the field.
In the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory,
Halsmer Airport was described as having a 4,000' paved Runway 4/22 & a 3,900' turf Runway 13/31.
The operator was listed as Halsmer Flying Service.
A 1968 photo (courtesy of Bill Poynter) of Bill's Culver Cadet rounding a pylon during a pylon race for stock planes held at the Halsmer Airport.
Bill recalled, “I responded to a notice posted in Trade-A-Plane, and signed up to race.
There were two classes, one for planes with less than 100 HP & one for planes with over 100 HP.
The plane I had at the time was a Culver Cadet, which I figured would be competitive in the under 100 HP class.
The qualifying was on August 18, 1968 with the races on August 24th & 25th, 1968.
None of the entrants had ever participated in a pylon race before. It was pretty scary.
A Mooney Mite with an 85HP engine came in 1st & I was 2nd in my Culver.”
An advertisement for the 1968 air races held at Halsmer Airport (courtesy of Bill Poynter).
Note that the airplanes depicted in the advertisement were just a little bit more futuristic than the actual race planes!
By the time of the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury),
the runway configuration had been reduced to a single 3,950' asphalt Runway 2/20.
The airfield status had also changed to a private facility, with the note, "Use at own risk."
USGS topo map 1987.
According to USAF Lt. Col. Mark Bailey,
"Halsmer closed in about 1988-90 to make room for the Subaru auto plant."
In the 1999 USGS aerial photo,
the entire length of the primary runway still remained, but was considerably deteriorated.
The airfield buildings had been removed from the former ramp area, southwest of the runway.
As seen in a 2006 aerial photo,
the majority of the pavement of the center portion of the former Runway 3/21 still remains,
although the north & south ends have been removed.
The former ramp area also remains as well.
A building was built at some point between 1999-2006 at the north end of the runway.
A large factory of Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc. has been constructed adjacent to the south side of the airport as well.
The site of Halsmer Airport is located northeast of the intersection of E 200 S & S 500 E,
just southwest of Interstate 65.
See also: http://www.blueskygirl.com/Crazy8/Crazy8/Bio/history2.html
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Naval Outlying Field 11713 / Converse Airport (1I8), Converse, IN
40.57 North / 85.89 West (North of Indianapolis, IN)
A 7/24/42 land acquisition map of “Auxiliary Landing Field #8” (National Archives, courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel).
This airfield was evidently constructed during WW2 as one of the 26 satellite airfields for Bunker Hill NAS
(which later became Grissom ARB), located a few miles to the northwest.
The date of construction of the airfield has not been determined.
No airfield at Converse was listed in the 1935 Air Pilots Register (courtesy of Michael Banks).
According to Brian Rehwinkel, this “site was leased for use as an outlying field for NAS Bunker Hill in mid 1942.
The site consisted of approximately 250 acres.”
The earliest depiction which has been located of Outlying Field 11713
was a A 7/24/42 land acquisition map of “Auxiliary Landing Field #8” (National Archives, courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel).
It depicted the field as a concrete octagon, measuring a maximum of 1,800' across, with no buildings.
This would appear to be the ideal airport layout -
permitting landings in any direction - never a crosswind!
According to a January 1944 Navy memo, the concrete mat, with an 1,800’ all-way landing surface,
was added in the fall of 1943 at a cost of $492,546.
According to Brian Rehwinkel, “This was a rather unusual procedure for an Outlying Field
because the Navy made substantial improvements on land it did not own.
During WWII, the Navy generally owned the Outlying Fields
where substantial improvements were made such as concrete or asphalt surfaces.
For the many grass outlying fields, the Navy would simply lease the land & cancel the lease at the end of the war.”
The earliest photo which has been located of Outlying Field 11713
was a September 1943 aerial view looking north at the newly-constructed field (National Archives photo, courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel).
It depicted the field as a paved octagon, with no buildings.
According to Brian Rehwinkel, “The Navy eventually acquired the site (250 acres) through condemnation proceedings in early 1944.
One of the reasons given for the necessity of purchasing the property
was that it would cost the Navy less to buy the land for this field (and for Field 23008/Site 3)
than it would to remove the improvements before the leases were terminated.”
The earliest aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Outlying Field 11713
was on the October 1944 Chicago Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted "11713" as an auxiliary airfield.
Outlying Field 11713 was apparently abandoned by the military at some point between 1944-46,
as it was not depicted at all on the 1946 Chicago Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
According to a 1947 War Assets Administration memo,
the 250 acre site was declared surplus by the Navy in 1947
and conveyed to the Town of Converse via quitclaim deed in November 1947.
The deed contained provisions that the town would continue to maintain the installation as a public airport.
At some point between 1947-53, it was reopened as a civilian airfield - Converse Airport.
The earliest depiction of Converse which has been located is on the 1953 Flight Chart (courtesy of Scott O'Donnell),
which depicted it as a civil airfield with a 1,600' hard surfaced landing area.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described the runway configuration as "all-way landings, 52 acre concrete slab",
but included the note, "Emergency use only."
Dave Greene recalled in 2004, "I have many fond memories of my father Pat & I going there
so he could fly his model airplanes.
They even had some major regional model airplane shows there in the 1970's.
I don't ever actually recall seeing a real airplane there, but the RC guys were then allowed to use it.
When I was there in the 1970's there was an old small wood building (large shed basically), but nothing else,
the Octagon was barren, not a building on it.
Those two buildings went up sometime in the late 1980's I think,
and I am pretty sure they are hangars, as there is now some activity there by private pilots.
Paul Ruley recalled, "Converse is where I taught [Pat Greene] his short field take-off & landings when he was my student.
It gives the student more appreciation of just what I am having him to accomplish.
The pad is not a true 360º airport.
There is a drainage tile running north & south through the field
and is covered with wood blocks spaced a distance apart.
The aircraft could cross it, but you would want a wheel running along it as it would tend to jar your fillings loose."
A recent aerial view looking north at Converse Airport.
Markings for a single Runway 7/25 were still barely discernible.
Two buildings were visible at the top of the octagon,
but it is not known if these are hangars or agricultural buildings of some sort.
The airfield is still used as a general aviation airport, Converse Airport.
Published data in the Airport Facility Directory indicates that 5 aircraft are currently based at the field.
Max Reed (local resident & former Grissom AFB pilot) reported in 2007, “The Converse field remains in use
and was referred to in the PBS special about the attempts to fly replicas of the Wright Brothers original plane
in celebration of the 100 -year anniversary of the 1st flight.
A man named Buford Gross from Peru had built a Wright Flyer
and was wanting to prove it airworthy but had trouble getting permission from the FAA to do so.
At the last minute, some friends helped him take it out to Converse
and he attempted to get it off the ground but didn't have enough power.
Other groups were more successful, but fudged a bit with modern powerplants.
Buford's was a hand-built replica of the actual Wright Brothers engine.”
There is another nearby auxiliary field with the same configuration at Galveston, IN (see entry below).
Thanks to Roger Johnson for pointing out this airfield.
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Naval Outlying Field 23008 / Galveston Airport (5I6), Galveston, IN
40.58 North / 86.24 West (North of Indianapolis, IN)
Outlying Field "23008", as depicted on the October 1944 Chicago Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
This airfield was evidently constructed during WW2 as one of the 26 satellite airfields for Bunker Hill NAS
(which later became Grissom ARB), located a few miles to the northeast.
The date of construction of the airfield has not been determined.
The earliest reference to an airfield at this location
was on the October 1944 Chicago Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
which depicted "23008" as an auxiliary airfield.
This airfield has the same unusual configuration as the nearby Converse Airport:
the landing area consists of an octagon, 1,800' in diameter.
Outlying Field 23008 was apparently abandoned by the military at some point between 1944-46,
as it was not depicted at all on the 1946 Chicago Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
At some point between 1946-53, it was reopened as a civilian airfield - Galveston Airport.
The earliest depiction of Galveston which has been located is on the 1953 Flight Chart (courtesy of Scott O'Donnell),
which depicted it as a civil airfield with a 1,700' hard surfaced landing area.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described the runway configuration
as being two bituminous 1,600' runways: 4/22 & 13/31.
Max Reed (local resident & former Grissom AFB pilot) recalled,
“The Galveston field appeared to have been not so well built or not so well maintained
and was grown up with weeds through the concrete when I visited it in the 1980s & was unusable.”
USGS aerial photo 1998.
According to Marty Catron (who lives near Galveston),
"The building at the north east corner of the property is a small building used by the local radio-controlled airplane club.
They have even restored a small bit of the old runway for their own use.
A local farmer keeps the grass and weeds mowed that have grown through the cracked asphalt over the years.
He told me they had planned to return it to tillable soil, but when they probed it, it was about four feet thick!
Another one was built near Greentown, IN,
but had been returned to tillable soil sometime in the 1960's or 1970's."
Galveston Airport is still listed as an active general aviation field,
but flying operations are conducted from an adjacent 2,700' grass runway.
The concrete octagon runway area has apparently been abandoned.
Thanks to Roger Johnson for pointing out this airfield.
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