Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Western Maryland
© 2005, © 2007 by Paul Freeman. Revised 10/21/07.
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39.56 North / 79.35 West (West of Cumberland, MD)
Bowman Airfield, as depicted on the July 1954 Huntington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield has not been located.
According to a historical plaque inside the Bear Creek Traders store,
“the Bowman family actively farmed their 97-acre homestead from the early 1920s until 1946.
During the late 1940s, a section of their farm, parallel to Mosser Road,
became landing strip for single-engine aircraft.
Pilots secured permission to land on the property
and the Bowmans decided to dedicate a tract of land specifically for that service.
Charles “Skeeter” Bowman noted, 'My father gave them permission
because it was the only convenient place for aircraft to land near Deep Creek Lake.
A majority of the pilots that landed on our farm were from the Pittsburgh area.'”
The plaque continued, “Bowman Airfield consisted of a grass runway, 2,300' in length,
and an orange windsock.
Services at Bowman Airfield were limited.
Pilots could taxi aircraft to a location beside the landing strip & tie them down,
or purchase a few gallons of fuel from a 55-gallon drum.
No fees were charged for landing services.
Skeeter remarked, 'We saw it as a means of recreation.
We never saw it as a way to make money.'”
The plaque continued, “Following World War II, air travel to Deep Creek Lake increased.
Most pilots desired a short stay at Deep Creek
and used Bowman Field for their travel arrangements.
Skeeter recalled, 'On busy weekends, we would often see 6-8 planes landing at our strip.
Most of the planes that came here were single-engine.'
On special occasions, other aircraft used the field
such as a privately-owned BT-13 [a World War II surplus Army Air Corps basic trainer].
A flying club from Somerset PA also chose the field for a fly-in event,
thereby temporarily creating a busy flight schedule at McHenry.
The first twin-engine aircraft to land in Garrett County, a Piper Apache,
cruised to Bowman Field in the late 1940s.
Two other unusual aircraft cruising there were designed for agricultural purposes.
They arrived from the eastern shore of Maryland
outfitted with sprayers that would emit a mist of insecticide.
Farmers requested the service to combat aphids that were harming the local pea crop.”
The earliest depiction of Bowman Airfield which has been located
was on the July 1954 Huntington Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Bowman as a private field, with a 2,300' unpaved runway.
The historical plaque noted, “One major capital improvement to the facility occurred in 1954
when a 40' x 60' hangar was constructed to house Skeeter's private plane.
The hangar's design permitted storage of boats from nearby Bowman's Marina.
No other structures were built for commercial or private pilots
and the airfield remained a family enterprise.
The last chart depiction of Bowman Airfield which has been located
was on the May 1958 Huntington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Bowman as a private field, with a 2,300' unpaved runway.
Bowman Airfield was evidently closed at some point between 1958-62,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the February 1962 Huntington Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
At some point between 1962-63, it was replaced by the larger Garrett County Airport,
less than a mile to the north.
According to Linda Bowman Niederberger (daughter of Skeeter Bowman),
“When the 'new Route 219' was built in the early 1970s, it cut right through Bowman Field.”
By the time of the 1995 USGS aerial photo, there did not appear to be any large-scale trace remaining of the former Bowman Airfield.
As seen in a circa 2001-2005 aerial photo, there did not appear to be any large-scale trace remaining of the former Bowman Airfield.
A 2005 photo by Paul Bowman (courtesy of Bo Bowman) of Skeeter Bowman's 1940 Taylorcraft,
suspended from the ceiling of the Bear Creek Traders store.
Bo Bowman reported in 2005, “In a small shopping Center just off Route 219,
there is one of those all-purpose general stores called Bear Creek Traders.
Hanging from the center of the store is a 1940 Taylorcraft that belonged to Skeeter Bowman,
the owner & main occupant of the old Bowman Field.
Below the airplane are a bunch of written plaques & some pictures relating to the Bowman family, farm, airport, etc.”
A 2004 photo (courtesy of Bo Bowman) of Skeeter Bowman in front of his 1940 Taylorcraft.
The plaques describe how Skeeter Bowman's 1940 Taylorcraft BC65
was purchased for the store by Hugh Umbel so that it could be displayed.
The 784 pound aircraft was raised into its position, hanging from the ceiling via cables, in 2004.
A 2005 photo by Paul Bowman (courtesy of Bo Bowman) of the windsock from Bowman Field,
on display in the Bear Creek Traders store.
Linda Bowman Niederberger (daughter of Skeeter Bowman) reported in 2007,
“The grass parking area of the Garrett County Fairgrounds [the eastern portion of the former airfield] is all that is left of the landing strip.
The hangar is stranded on the other side of Route 219.
The hangar is between the 2 roads [Route 219 & Deep Creek Drive], more or less surrounded by other structures.”
The site of Bowman Airfield is located southeast of the intersection of Mosser Road & Route 219.
Thanks to Bo Bowman for pointing out this field.
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