Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Michigan, Northwest Detroit area
© 2002, © 2008 by Paul Freeman. Revised 5/26/08.
Big Beaver Airport (revised 5/26/08) - Ford Airport (revised 1/10/07)
Krist Port (revised 12/5/04) - Salem Airport (revised 5/26/08)
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42.52 North / 83.37 West (Northwest of Detroit, MI)
A postmark commemorating the dedication of Krist-Port (courtesy of Mike Denja).
Photo of the airport while open has not been located.
According to Michael Denja, Krist Port was built in 1936 by Chris Kristiansen on a 140 acre property.
A postmark (courtesy of Mike Denja) commemorated the dedication of Krist-Port.
It depicted the airfield as having 4 runways, with the longest being 2,400',
and depicted 3 buildings along the east side of the field.
However, Krist Port was not yet depicted at all
on the February 1937 Detroit Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Krist-Port was used initially for air freight transportation.
Airplanes were even built & sold there.
It was a busy airport & the Governor at the time would land there when doing business in that area.
Denja also read a story "of 2 Canadian military pilots that had to land there in the late 1930's due to a bad storm."
Strangely, Krist Port was not depicted at all in the 1940 MI Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
During & after WW2, Krist Port was used for Civil Defense,
and an observation tower was built on the top of the Shop & Administration Building,
which was used as a lookout tower for enemy aircraft.
Krist-Port, as depicted on the 1943 Detroit Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
The 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Krist Port as having a 2,700' unpaved runway.
The 1946 Michigan Airport Directory (courtesy of Doug Ranz)
depicted Krist Port as having a total of 4 unpaved runways,
with the longest being the 2,700' northeast/southwest runway.
A total of 10 hangars & buildings were located along the eastern & southern sides of the airfield.
A 1949 Detroit Edison aerial view of Krist Port (courtesy of Mike Denja).
Note the shop & administration building at the southeast corner, with "Krist Port" painted on the roof.
About a dozen light aircraft were visible on the southeast corner of the field.
The May 1954 Detroit Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
depicted Kris Port as a commercial airport having a 2,700' unpaved runway.
Krist Port was evidently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1954-1960,
as it was not depicted on the May 1960 Detroit Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
A 1964 aerial view showed that the airfield property had been filled in with houses,
but the administration building & hangar still remained standing on the east side.
As seen in the 2002 USGS aerial photo,
the area of the former runways has been completely redeveloped with houses,
but the former shop & administration building remained standing along the east side of the property.
A 2003 photo by Michael Denja of the front of the former shop & administration building of Krist Port.
A 2003 photo by Michael Denja of the hangar portion of the former shop & administration building of Krist Port.
A closeup of the WW2-era observation tower
which remains atop the former shop & administration building of Krist Port, by Michael Denja, 2003.
This former airfield was "rediscovered" by Michael Denja,
who reported in 2003, "There is a building off a main road (Orchard Lake Road) in Farmington Hills
that I was told was the former control tower of the airport.
The building is now an auto repair shop & has since been renovated & added to
but the top does look like a control tower.
It has 360 panoramic windows."
According to an article by Ruth Moehlman in the January 29, 2006 issue
of the Farmington Observer & Eccentric (courtesy of Mike Denja),
the former airport terminal building is now an auto repair shop, Auto Solutions,
and some of the former dirt-floored hangars have been recycled as retail shops.
The site of Krist Port is located on the southwest corner of Orchard Lake Road & 13 Mile Road.
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Salem Airport (0G9), Salem, MI
42.41 North / 83.58 West (West of Detroit, MI)
Salem Airport, as depicted on the 1970 USGS topo map.
This general aviation airport was apparently built at some point between 1965-70,
as it was not yet depicted on a 1963 aerial photo
nor on the July 1965 Detroit Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of Salem Airport which has been located
was on the 1970 USGS topo map.
Salem Airport was depicted on the May 1971 Detroit Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
as having a single 2,700' paved runway.
The 1971 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Salem Airport as having a single 2,900' paved Runway 18/36
and a 2,200' unpaved Runway 9/27.
A taxiway led to a ramp with 2 small buildings on the east side of the field,
and another building was depicted on the southwest side of the field.
The earliest photo which has been located of Salem Airport was a 1973 aerial view.
It depicted the field as having a single paved north/south runway & and unpaved crosswind runway.
Four hangars were located on the southwest side of the field,
and a total of 16 light aircraft were parked on the southwest & southeast sides of the field.
A closeup from the 1973 aerial view, showing some of the planes parked on the southwest side of Salem Airport.
Salem Airport was depicted on the May 1976 Detroit Terminal Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
as having a single 2,800' paved runway.
The 1980 USGS topo map depicted "Salem Landing Field"
as having a paved north/south runway, and unpaved east/west runway,
and 4 rows of T-hangars & 2 other buildings at the southwest end of the field.
The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury)
described Salem Airport as having a 2,850' asphalt Runway 18/36 & a 2,200' turf Runway 9/27.
The field was said to provide fuel, repairs, hangars, tiedowns, flight instruction, and plane rental.
The operator was listed as Salem Airport Inc. (a Cessna dealer).
The Salem Airport was evidently closed at some point between 1982-98,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the 1998 Detroit Terminal Area Aeronautical Chart.
According to Randy Coller (of MDOT-Aeronautics),
“there was a proposal to construct a landfill near the airport.
Since state & federal law discourages such activity in close proximity to public use airports,
the state opposed the proposed landfill.
The proponent (Halloway Construction) then bought the Salem Airport
and closed it so they could develop the landfill.
Unfortunately, landfills are much more profitable than airports!”
In the 2000 USGS aerial photo, the Salem Airport appeared to be abandoned.
Five rows of T-hangars were visible on the southwest side of the field,
but large portions of 2 of the buildings had fallen down (or been demolished).
Another building (a hangar?) sat to the south of the T-hangars.
All sorts of trailers & junk appeared to be stored on the field, east of the hangars.
In the 2002 USGS aerial photo, 3 of the T-hangars had been partially demolished.
Note the painted "Salem" visible on the roof of the individual hangar at the south end of the T-hangars.
The pavement of the north/south runway remained intact, but it appeared to be quite deteriorated.
A closeup of Salem Airport's partially demolished hangars, from the 2002 USGS aerial photo.
A 2004 picture of the hangar with "Salem" still painted on the roof.
An 8/2004 photo by Greg Steinmayer of the hangars & runway pavement at Salem Airport.
Greg Steinmayer visited the site of Salem Airport on 8/2004.
"The area has been cleaned up - the abandoned trailers are no longer extant,
and there are a lot of muddy ruts in the area -
they may be preparing to redevelop the property (it is only a few miles from Ann Arbor).
The runway is VERY badly deteriorated, with the painted orange X's at each end almost completely vanished.
At several points along the runway, trees as big as 8" in diameter had grown through the cracks,
and been cut down (in fact there is an orange highway barrel covering the stump of one).
I saw no evidence of the branch of the taxiway going east that is shown on the map from the 1971 Flight Guide."
An 8/2004 photo by Greg Steinmayer of the faded sign on the end of a former T-hangar at Salem Airport.
An 8/2004 photo by Greg Steinmayer of the former main hangar at Salem Airport.
An 8/2004 photo by Greg Steinmayer looking along the remains of the pavement of Salem's runway.
An 8/2004 photo by Greg Steinmayer of the remnants of painted runway markings.
A 2005 aerial view showed that the property remained in the same condition,
with the runway still intact & the hangars still standing.
The site of Salem Airport is located northeast of the intersection of Salem Road & 6 Mile Road.
Thanks to Gsteinma for pointing out this airfield.
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Big Beaver Airport (3BB), Big Beaver, MI
42.56 North / 83.11 West (North of Detroit, MI)
Big Beaver Airport was depicted as an auxiliary airfield on the July 1946 Detroit Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Big Beaver Airport is another unfortunate general aviation airport which has been swallowed up by urban growth.
Big Beaver was apparently established at some point between 1945-46
(like hundreds of other small general aviation airfields across the United States),
as it was not yet depicted on the May 1945 Detroit Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the July 1946 Detroit Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Big Beaver Airport as an auxiliary airfield.
The 1946 MI Airport Directory (courtesy of Doug Ranz)
depicted Big Beaver Airport as having 2 landing strips, of 2,400' & 1,800'.
Big Beaver Airport, as depicted on the 1949 Detroit Sectional Chart (courtesy of Donald Felton).
A 1949 aerial photo of Big Beaver Airport (courtesy of Mike Denja)
showed the field to have a single east/west runway.
A single hangar on the northeast side of the field was surrounded by about 15 light aircraft,
and another aircraft was at the west end of the runway.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described the field
as having a 2,400' gravel Runway 9/27 & a 2,100' sod Runway 18/36,
and listed the operator as John Main.
A 1964 aerial view depicted Big Beaver as having a gravel east/west runway & a grass north/south runway.
A single building was on the north side of the field.
A total of no less than 53 light aircraft were visible parked on the field.
Big Beaver was still depicted as having a 2,400' unpaved runway
on the July 1969 Detroit Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The last photo which has been located of Big Beaver Airport was a 1973 aerial view.
The airport was still very well-used,
with a total of 44 light aircraft parked on the north & south sides of the field.
Runway 9/27 had also been paved at some point between 1969-73.
The grass crosswind runway appeared to still be maintained as well.
Big Beaver Airport had gained a paved runway (a single 2,400' east/west strip)
by the time of the 1976 Detroit Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
USGS topo map 1980.
The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury) described Big Beaver Airport
as having a 2,400' asphalt Runway 9/27 & a 2,100' sod Runway 18/36.
The operator was listed as Big Beaver Airport Inc.
Greg Srteinmayer recalled, "I used to work down the road from the former Big Beaver Airport from 1984-88,
and during that time there were 2 derelict Twin Beech's close to the road."
John Ellis recalled, "I kept my Piper Tomahawk there until it closed.
After her brother died, Anna Main owned & operated the airport until her death & the airport closed.
She was never married & had no family but was somewhat of a legend to the fliers in the area.
The city constantly tried to close her airfield until an agreement was reached to let her maintain it until she died
and the field would have to close which is exactly what happened."
Greg Srteinmayer recalled, "The airport closed somewhat earlier than 1999, closer to 1995.
The Big Beaver Airport has been consumed by light industrial & office buildings."
A 1999 USGS aerial photo showed that the runway had already been largely obliterated,
with new buildings having been constructed on the site.
In the above circa 2001 aerial photo, portions of the east/west paved runway were still visible
on either side of a new north/south road which bisected the former runway.
The Big Beaver Airport was located southwest of the intersection of East Big Beaver Road & John R Road.
Thanks to Neil McNeight for pointing out Big Beaver Airport.
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42.3 North / 83.22 West (West of Detroit, MI)
A 1925 photo of an airshow at Ford Airport (courtesy of Mike Denja),
showing several unidentified biplanes & monoplanes.
According to Michael Kuentz, Henry Ford had become an investor in William Stout's airplane manufacturing firm,
which built single-engine aircraft.
However, Ford was not happy with his investment, so in an attempt to control the company he bought into,
he had a 2nd Stout airplane factory built on the corner of Oakwood & Village Road.
The 20,000 square foot Stout Metal Airplane Company factory opened in 1924.
In 1925, the Ford Airport was dedicated, with 2 grass runways & flood lights for night landings.
It was widely touted as being the first "modern" airport in the world.
The airport was the first in the US to operate a regularly scheduled passenger airline in continuous domestic service,
with the Ford Air Transportation Service providing a route between between "Detroit" (Dearborn) & Chicago.
Ford Airport was also the first in the US to have an airline terminal for passenger use,
the first in the world to have a hotel (the Dearborn Inn) designed & built for the air traveler.
The Ford Motor Company Airplane Division manufactured aircraft at this location starting in 1925.
Henry Ford errected the largest, most modern and only privately owned permanent dirigible mooring mast in 1925.
From 1925-31 the Annual National Air Tour (to demonstrate safety & reliability of commercial aviation)
started & ended at Ford Airport.
In 1926 Ford Airport operated the world's 1st flight of a commercial airliner guided by radio,
using system developed by Ford Motor Company.
The Army's RS-1 blimp, moored at the Ford Airport in 1926.
Ford Airport's dirigible mast was reportedly only used twice.
A 1926 photo of the passenger terminal at Ford Airport.
According to Michael Kuentz, Stout aircraft had a poor flight record, suffering many crashes.
Ford was losing money rapidly,
and on the night of January 27, 1926 a fire mysteriously started in the all-brick & steel plant, destroying the building.
Shortly after the fire Henry sent Bill Stout on a nation-wide public relations tour
and then contracted with Albert Kahn to design & build 2 new buildings -
one a new 62,000 square-foot Ford Tri-Motor airplane factory,
and the other, the world's first airport hotel (The Dearborn Inn).
Shortly after Bill Stout left for his PR tour,
Henry was overheard telling one of his executives,
"For the first time in my life I have bought a lemon, and I don’t want the world to know about it",
in regards to the puzzling fire.
Never again would the Stout name appear on an airplane factory.
Eventually Henry Ford bought out William Stout & turned his transportation company into Ford Air Transport.
From 1928-29 Ford Airport's grass runways were paved – giving the field the 1st concrete runways in the world.
A 1931 aerial view looking northwest at Ford Airport.
According to the Michigan Historical Marker website,
Henry Ford built the Dearborn Inn (opening in 1931) to accommodate overnight travelers arriving at the Ford Airport.
Located opposite of the airport along Oakwood Boulevard,
the 179-room inn was the world's first airport hotel.
The guest quarters along Pilots Row originally were used by the airlines' crews.
Unfortunately, Henry Ford lost more than $10 million on his airplane division,
which closed in 1933.
A total of 199 Ford Tri-Motors were eventually built at the Dearborn facility.
The Tri-Motor was the 1st American all-metal, multi-engine, commercial airliner.
The airport itself continued to operate for several years more, however.
Ford Airport, as depicted on the 1935 9M Night Flying Chart.
Note the blimp mooring mast symbol.
In 1938 the 1st automobile test track was laid down on the Ford Airport property.
Ford Airport, as depicted on the October 1943 Detroit Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
Note the blimp mooring mast symbol.
Ford Airport was still depicted as an active private airfield in the 1946 MI Airport Directory (courtesy of Doug Ranz).
It was depicted as having 2 concrete runways (3,700' & 3,200').
By this point, the airport had been converted to simultaneously serve as an automobile testing ground,
with an automobile test track extending beyond the runways.
Ford Airport's dirigible mooring mast was demolished in 1946.
The Ford Air Transport Office moved to Detroit Metropolitan Airport in 1947,
and the Ford Airport was closed (according to an article in Machine Design magazine).
By the time of the 1948 Detroit Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy),
the airport was no longer depicted at all.
Ford Airport was shown only 2 years after it was closed, in a 1949 aerial photo (courtesy of Mike Denja).
Both paved runways remained intact,
and note the lettering “Closed X Airport” which was barely discernable on the middle of the former northwest/southeast runway.
A number of paved aircraft parking spots were located just east of the runway intersection.
The circular clearing for the former dirigible mooring mast was still visible on the east end of the field,
but it appears the mast itself had already been taken down.
In a circa 2001 aerial photo, the remains of 2 paved runways (the longest is 3,300')
were still discernible in the middle of the auto proving grounds.
Along the south end of the former airfield, the building farthest to the left is a Ford Engineering facility
that was built in part of the old Ford Airplane Factory.
Looking at it today you could never tell what it was in a former life.
Moving to the right, the next small building is all that remains of the powerhouse for the former Ford Airplane Factory.
Today this building houses garages for prepping cars for the test track.
The next building to the right is a 123' x 300' sandstone & steel hangar,
where the first Ford Tri-motors were first assembled while the big factory was still being built.
The hangar was later used to house the Ford Tri-Motor airplanes.
It still exists today but houses a small wind tunnel for experimental vehicles.
To the south of this hangar is the Dearborn Inn.
The 4th building moving to the right was built back in the 1970's and is another testing facility.
Located north of the 3rd & 4th buildings is a small structure that has been heavily added onto -
that is the former Ford Airport passenger terminal.
Just beyond that is a concrete circle where the dirigible mast used to be.
A photo of a 1929 Ford Tri-Motor which landed at Ford Airport in 2003,
for the Ford 100 Year Anniversary Celebration (courtesy of Greg Steinmayer).
On June 9, 2003, five vintage airplanes (including 2 Ford Tri-Motors) landed at the former Ford Airport.
It was the 1st time in 56 years the test track had been used as an airport.
The planes were part of the "Taking Flight: Ford's History in Aviation" exhibit,
which was one facet of Ford Motor Company's 100th anniversary celebration.
A 2004 photo by Greg Steinmayer "of the original Ford Airport hangars which still exist,
complete right down to their huge glass sliding doors (now painted over).
The building is now used for 'Experimental Engines' by the Ford Motor Company."
Greg Srteinmayer continued, "The original Ford hangars, complete right down to the original hangar doors,
still exist on the Southwest side of the former airfield (along Oakwood Boulevard).
They are currently used as testing labs.
Directly across from the hangars is the Dearborn Inn,
constructed as the worlds first specific airport hotel.
It is still in operation as the premier hotel in Dearborn."
Greg Steinmayer reported in 2005, “Ford Airport, which became the Ford Proving Grounds, is no more.
Ford has completely restructured the proving grounds
and eliminated all traces of the former runways,
which were still extant as part of the proving ground's roadway system.
My brother, who works at Ford nearby,
confirms that the former runways are at least covered, if not gone altogether.”
A March 2006 aerial view by Paul Freeman, looking northwest at the site of the former Ford Airport.
A March 2006 aerial view by Paul Freeman, looking southeast at the site of the former Ford Airport.
The Ford Airport site is located north of the intersection of Oakwood Boulevard & Rotunda Drive.
The Henry Ford Museum is adjacent to the airport site.
Another airfield which is currently operated as a Ford proving ground is Yucca AAF, AZ.
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