Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Minnesota, Minneapolis / St. Paul area
© 2002, © 2009 by Paul Freeman. Revised 12/13/09.
Gateway North Industrial (revised 6/1/08) - Northport Airport (added 1/29/04) - Southport Airport (revised 12/13/09)
University of Minnesota Airport (revised 3/23/08) - Victory Airport (revised 12/21/08) - Whitney Memorial Airport (revised 12/13/09)
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Victory Airport, Brooklyn Center, MN
45.1 North / 93.3 West (Northwest of Minneapolis, MN)
Victory Airport, as depicted on the November 1943 Twin Cities Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
According to Timothy Aanerud, Victory Airport was named by Adrain McInnis,
who moved from the South Saint Paul Airport & was an early operator of this airport under a War Training Service contract.
Victory Airport was evidently established at some point between 1942-43,
as it was not yet depicted on the November 1942 Twin Cities Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
According to Timothy Aanerud, Victory Airport "was certainly open by April 1943, maybe earlier."
The earliest depiction of Victory Airport which has been located
was on the November 1943 Twin Cities Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Victory as a commercial/municipal airport.
The April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Victory Airport as having a 3,500' unpaved runway.
The June 1944 Twin Cities Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Victory as a commercial or municipal airport.
The only photo which has been located showing Victory Airport while it was operational
was a 1947 aerial photo (from the MN DNR, courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Victory Airport as having 3 unpaved runways.
A hangar & several smaller buildings were located on the west side of the field,
and over a dozen light aircraft were visible parked on the field.
The January 1949 Minneapolis-St Paul USAF Target Complex Chart (courtesy of Timothy Aanerud)
depicted Victory Airport as having a total of 3 runways,
with 2 buildings (hangars?) on the west side of the field.
Victory Airport evidently lasted no more than 16 years,
and was apparently closed at some point between 1949-54,
as it was no longer depicted on the November 1954 Twin Cities Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy)
or subsequent aeronautical charts.
The 1955 USGS topo map still depicted the “Victory Landing Field”,
even though the airport had evidently already been closed for a few years.
It depicted the field as having 3 unpaved runways, with a few small buildings around the periphery.
A 1957 aerial view showed that several of the airfield buildings had been removed,
and there was no sign of any recent aviation usage of the property.
A 1978 photo of the main hangar at Victory Airport,
from the book "Minnesota Aviation History 1857-1945" by Noel Allard (courtesy of Timothy Aanerud).
"At that time, the big hangar & other buildings were being used by the Folaside Door Manufacturing Company."
As seen in the 1991 USGS aerial photo,
the site of Victory Airport has been heavily developed,
and not a trace appears to remain of the former airport.
The site of Victory Airport is located north of the intersection of Brookdale Drive & Queen Avenue.
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Whitney Memorial Airport, St. Cloud, MN
45.58 North / 94.18 West (Northwest of Minneapolis, MN)
The earliest photo which has been located of Whitney Memorial Airport
was a 1938 aerial photo (from the MN DNR, courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It may have been taken while the field was still under construction,
as the most elaborate part of the field's infrastructure seemed to be its entrance road!
The 1st location of the "Albert G. Whitney Memorial" Airport was 3 miles southeast of the town of St. Cloud,
as described in the Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
At some point between 1933-38,
the airport was relocated to the location described here (1.5 miles northwest of St. Cloud),
as described in the Airport Directory Company's 1938 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The airfield was described as consisting of a 3,320' x 2,574' rectangular sod field.
Ken Chirhart recalled, “Whitney Memorial... My father worked with the WPA in the 1930s to construct the granite walls near the airfield entrance.”
According to John Evans, “The Whitneys were a very wealthy family
that owned a lot of Northern States Power Company & gave the land for use as an airport.”
According to the St. Cloud Hospital, Whitney Memorial Airport was built in the late 1930s.
The airport had a revolving beacon light marking the airport,
But this disturbed the sleep of patients in the nearby hospital,
so the city & the hospital agreed to move the beacon to the roof of the hospital.
This allowed the patients to sleep in peace
and gave the beacon light a wider range since the hospital was the highest structure near the airport.
John Evans recalled, “The beacon for the Whitney Field was on top of the nearby St. Cloud Hospital.
We lived directly across the Mississippi River from the hospital.
The beacon was a constant in my life each night.
I would fall asleep with the reassuring soft green & white light coming through my bedroom window.”
The earliest photo which has been located of Whitney Memorial Airport
was a 1938 aerial photo (from the MN DNR, courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The field was depicted as an irregularly-shaped grass field, surrounded by a prominent perimeter road.
A 1940 aerial view of Whitney Memorial Airport, reportedly taken during the airport's opening festivities.
The photo is by Leo Moore, from the Minnesota History Center (courtesy of Barry Kazmer).
The earliest chart depiction of Whitney Memorial Airport which has been located
was on the April 1942 3M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Ken Chirhart recalled, “While still in high school in 1957 I soloed in a J-3 Cub at Whitney.
Later, when I was a member of the St. Cloud State College Flying Club,
I earned my private license in an Aeronca 7AC at the same field.”
The 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Whitney Memorial Airport as having 3 paved runways,
with the 4,000' Runway 5/23 being the longest.
Taxiways led to a ramp on the east side of the field with several buildings arranged in a semicircle.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Whitney Memorial Airport
as having 3 bituminous runways: 4,300 Runway 5/23,
3,500' Runway 1/19, and 3,000' Runway 13/31.
The airport had hangars & offered charter services.
The operator was listed as St. Cloud Flying Service, Inc.
A 1969 aerial view looking northwest at Whitney Memorial Airport,
showing a large number of light aircraft parked adjacent to several hangars.
The photo is by Vincent Mart, from the Minnesota History Center (courtesy of Barry Kazmer).
The new St. Cloud Municipal Airport opened in 1970 at a site 3 miles east of the city,
at which point Whitney Memorial Airport apparently closed.
The former airport beacon atop the hospital wasn't actually removed until 1979,
when it was relocated to Aitkin (94 miles northeast of St. Cloud).
The site of the old airport was labeled Whitney Park on the 1984 & 1993 USGS topo maps.
In the 1991 USGS aerial photo, a 2,500' portion of the former Runway 13/31 was still visible,
on either side of Northway Drive, which was built over it.
The remaining runway portion southeast of Northway Drive was still marked with a closed runway "X".
A shorter portion of the former Runway 5/34 also still existed.
Matt Haas reported on the status of the site in 2003: "Parts of the runway are still there,
plus a brick wall that was the gate to the airport.
Now it's mostly soccer & baseball fields,
all of the hangars & buildings are now home to Whitney Senior Center."
A circa 2007 aerial view looking west at the remains of 3 runways at the site of Whitney Airport.
A circa 2007 aerial view looking east at what appears to be at least 2 former hangars at the site of Whitney Airport.
The site of the former Whitney Airport is located at the intersection of Northway Drive & Stockinger Drive.
Thanks to Matt Haas for pointing out the Whitney Airport.
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University of Minnesota Airport, Blaine, MN
45.12 North / 93.19 West (Northeast of Minneapolis, MN)
The University of MN Airport, as depicted on the November 1942 3M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
According to an article in the 10/19/98 issue of the Minnesota Daily (via Timothy Aanerud),
the University of MN has owned a 209 acre property at this site since 1941.
The airport was evidently established at some point in 1942,
as it was not yet depicted on the April 1942 3M Regional Aeronautical Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of the airfield which has been located
was on the November 1942 3M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The University of Minnesota Airport was still depicted as a commercial airport
on the June 1944 Twin Cities Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The only photo which has been located showing the University of MN Airport while it was operational
was a 1947 aerial photo (from the MN DNR, courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the University of MN Airport as having 4 unpaved runways.
A single hangar & several smaller buildings were located on the southwest corner of the field,
and at least 6 light aircraft were visible parked nearby.
The 1949 USAF Target Complex Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy) depicted the University of Minnesota Airport
as having 4 runways (with the longest being a 2,600' northeast/southwest strip),
and a single hangar on the west side of the airfield.
John Johnson recalled, “The University of Minnesota Airport... I flew out of that airport with the U of M flying club back in 1955-56.
The University owned a couple of Beech C-45s & a batch of tricycle gear Piper Cubs!
They had 6 of them & they rented for $3/hour wet.
You could get dual instruction in them for an additional $3/hour for the instructor.
The airport manager was Ron Staloch. We called him 'Keeplatched' from Staloch.
In 1956 the mechanic was welding in the big hangar where all of the University's airplanes were stored.
His torch flashed back & exploded, killing the mechanic & burning out the hangar.
All of the University's airplanes were totally destroyed in the fire.
I remember that quite clearly because I was about to get some right seat time in one of the C-45s & it was melted down in the fire.”
According to an article in the 10/19/98 issue of the Minnesota Daily (via Timothy Aanerud),
the University of MN Airport was closed in 1956.
By the time of the April 1956 Twin Cities Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
the University of MN Airport was no longer depicted at all.
A 1957 aerial view showed that 2 hangars still remained standing.
The airfield appeared to have had 2 paved runways,
oriented northwest/southeast & northeast/southwest.
Nearby resident Curtis Olson reported,
"I was told that in the 1960s a tornado came through & leveled most of the buildings."
The much larger Anoka County Blaine Airport was eventually built
only one mile to the northwest of the site of the University of MN Airport.
According to Curtis Olson, "There must have been some motivation to close that airport & rebuild nearby
(Proximity to the freeway? Lack of expansion space?).
The University of Minnesota ended up owning the site
and for years it was just a big open field...
from driving past it you'd never know there used to be an airport there.
A local R/C club got permission to operate on the site
and so they had a little chunk of asphalt that they flew off.
I went out there many times and as far as I could tell, that was the only asphalt remaining."
Curtis continued, "One day I had a chance to fly over in a small plane with a friend who is a pilot.
I was really surprised that from the air, the original runway was completely visible.
Much of the old asphalt was still there,
just from the ground everything was so overgrown, you couldn't really tell.
"In the last couple years the University sold the land
and it is being completely redeveloped as town houses, ball fields, some retail stores, etc.
It seems sad to see an airport go, but what are you going to do."
Nothing at all was depicted at the site of the airport on the 1980 USGS topo map.
A 1980 aerial view showed that the foundations remained visible of the 2 hangars,
along with a somewhat smaller “X” of former runway pavement of the center portion of 2 runways.
In the 1991 USGS aerial photo, the remains of 2 asphalt runways were still visible.
However, the circa 2001 aerial photo showed that new construction had since covered the site,
with not a trace remaining as to its former role as an airport.
The site of the former U of MN Airport is located southeast of the intersection of Interstate 35 & 85th Avenue Northeast.
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Gateway North Industrial Airport (Y25), Ramsey, MN
45.23 North / 93.45 West (Northwest of Minneapolis, MN)
A 1979 aerial view of the Gateway North Industrial Airport.
This small general aviation airport was evidently established at some point between 1957-77.
Nothing was yet depicted at the location on a 1957 aerial view.
Ramsey police officer Brad Paplham reported, "The other day I came across the raincoat
of the original Ramsey police chief, Mike Auspos.
In the pocket there was a concession token good for '1 hot dog & 1 soft drink'
at the Ranger Aero Fair and the ticket was dated July 30 or 31, 1977.
The air show was held several times at the airport."
The earliest depiction of Gateway North Industrial Airport which has been located was a 1979 aerial view.
It depicted the field as having 2 runways,
with a cluster of small hangars southwest of the runway intersection.
A total of 20 single-engine aircraft were visible parked on the field.
The April 1987 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Gateway North Industrial Airpark as having 2 dirt runways (2,500 Runway 16/34 & 2,300' Runway 9/27),
each with parallel taxiways.
A cluster of buildings was located southwest of the runway intersection,
at which was located the facilities of Gateway Aero.
The July 1988 Minneapolis Terminal Control Area Chart (courtesy of Timothy Aanerud)
depicted the Gateway North Industrial Airport as having a 2,500' unpaved runway.
Gateway North Industrial Airport,
as depicted on the July 1990 Approach Procedures (courtesy of Timothy Aanerud).
In the 1991 USGS aerial photo, the airfield was still open.
A total of 9 light aircraft were visible parked on the field.
Gateway North Industrial Airport consisted of 2 gravel/dirt runways & a small group of hangars.
The primary runway, 16/34, was 2,500' long and had a VOR 34 instrument approach,
According to Timothy Aanerud, the Gateway Flying Club used to be located at this airport..
John Evans recalled, “I remembered flying there & staying a few days.
My brother lives nearby & this was the closest field.
My logbook showed the date to be June 6-9, 1991.
I recall the strip to be very poor, not much grass, mostly soft dirt.”
Gateway North Industrial Airport was still depicted as an active airport
on the July 1991 Twin Cities Sectional Chart (according to Timothy Aanerud).
But it was evidently closed within the next few months,
as it was not charted on the February 1992 Minneapolis Terminal Chart (according to Timothy Aanerud).
The 1993 USGS topo map still depicted the Gateway North Industrial Airport,
even though it had apparently already been closed for at least a year by that point.
It depicted the field as having 2 unpaved runways, with several small buildings southwest of the runway intersection.
Ramsey police officer Brad Paplha recalled,
"I started here in 1994 & all that was left of the airport then was the foundations of the hangars."
A 2003 aerial photo showed that the property has been completely redeveloped,
with not a trace remaining of the airfield.
Thanks to Timothy Aanerud for pointing out this airfield.
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Northport Airport, White Bear Lake, MN
45.08 North / 92.93 West (Northeast of St. Paul, MN)
Northport Airport, as depicted on the April 1942 3M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Northport Airport was evidently opened at some point between 1941-42,
as it was not yet listed among active airfields in the Airport Directory Company's 1941 Airports Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of Northport which has been located
was on the April 1942 3M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Northport as a commercial/municipal airport.
A 1942 photo by Milan Gersting from the book "Minnesota Aviation History 1857-1945"
by Noel Allard & Gerald Sandvick (courtesy of Timothy Aanerud).
The caption read, "Tom North's fleet consisting of one Stinson Gullwing & one Cabin Waco,
plus a group of Waco UPF-7's for the CPT Secondary program.
Note the absence of the airmail hangar which had not yet been moved in at the time this photo was taken."
The April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Northport as having a 2,300' unpaved runway.
Thomas North was the owner of the "North Aviation Company", according to Timothy Aanerud.
Taylorcraft L-2A's were used at Northport during WW2
for glider instruction as part of the Civilian Pilot Training program.
The 1971 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Northport as having a 2,100' unpaved Runway 17/35 & a 1,950' unpaved Runway 13/31.
Taxiways led to a ramp on the northeast side of the field with a few small hangars.
The 1:100,000 scale 1980 USGS topo map depicted Northport Airport as having 2 runways.
The 1:24,000 scale 1980 USGS topo map only depicted a single runway, labeled "Landing Strip",
along with 3 hangars on the north end of the field.
Kristin Winter recalled of Northport, “The east/west runway... I did takeoffs & landings on that runway as late as 1985,
while working as an instructor at the nearby Lake Elmo Airport.”
Northport was still charted as a public-use airport
on the February 1987 Minneapolis/St. Paul Terminal Control Area Chart (according to Timothy Aanerud).
The 1988 July 1988 Minneapolis/St. Paul Terminal Control Area Chart (courtesy of Timothy Aanerud)
depicted Northport as a private field with a 2,500' unpaved runway.
Northport Airport evidently closed (at least officially) at some point between 1988-89,
as it was no longer charted on the February 1989 Twin Cities Sectional Chart (according to Timothy Aanerud).
In the 1991 USGS aerial photo, Northport Airport was still intact -
both the north/south runway & the outline of the former northwest/southeast runway were still visible.
All 3 hangars also still remained standing.
In fact, the airport may still have been in use (at least unofficially),
as there appeared to be one white light plane parked just south of the western hangar.
As seen in the circa 2000 aerial view,
at some point between 1991-2000 the site of Northport Airport was redeveloped,
with a new street (Ivy Avenue) & several houses covering the site of the former airport.
Not a trace appears to remain of the former airport.
The site of Northport Airport is located south of the intersection of Dellwood Road & Ivy Avenue.
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Southport Airport, Apple Valley, MN
44.73 North / 93.21 West (South of Minneapolis, MN)
Southport Airport, as depicted on the November 1948 Twin Cities Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
In 1944, the property owner was granted a license to operate Southport as a public airport.
No airport at this location was yet depicted on the March 1945 Lake Itasca World Aeronautical Chart (according to Chris Kennedy)
nor listed in the Haire Publishing Company's 1945 Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of Southport which has been located
was on the November 1948 Twin Cities Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
which depicted Southport as a commercial airport.
The runway at Southport was supposedly paved in 1955.
However, the April 1956 Twin Cities Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
still depicted Southport as having a 2,300' unpaved runway.
The earliest photo which has been located of Southport was a 1957 aerial view.
It depicted the field as having a paved northwest/southeast runway,
along with an unpaved north/south runway.
Five rows of T-hangars & other smaller buildings were located at the northwest corner of the field.
The 1959 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Southport as having a 2,800' paved Runway 12/30 & a 2,175' unpaved Runway 17/35.
Taxiways led to a ramp on the north side of the field with a few small hangars.
An undated photo of a Southport Airport “Fly In Drive In” event from an article (courtesy of Lance Huston).
At its high point in the 1960s Southport was home to over 100 aircraft & hosted airshows.
According to Randy Sohn,
Southport Airport was operated by Chuck Doyle & Williard Stiechen.
The August 1971 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Southport as having a single 2,800' paved Runway 12/30,
with 2 taxiways leading to a ramp on the north side.
The number of T-hangars on the northwest side had decreased from 4 to 2 compared to the 1959 diagram,
but 4 rows of T-hangars had been added on the northeast side.
A 1971 aerial view of Southport Airport, looking northwest.
Photo is copyright George Bordner of Bordner Aerials; used by permission.
A total of at least 7 hangars were visible along the north side of the field,
along with a total of at least 35 aircraft visible parked outside.
Southport Airport closed in 1974, for reasons unknown.
However, a 1979 aerial view showed that Southport Airport remained intact,
including the runway, and 5 hangars on the northeast side.
No aircraft were visible on the field.
As seen in a circa 2000 aerial photo, the majority of the site of the former airport was occupied by several retail shopping buildings,
and 2 new roads (Garrett Avenue & West 153rd Street) had been built through the middle of the former airport.
However, a 700' section of the runway still remained visible at the southeast corner of the property.
However, Todd Schmit reported in March 2005, “Just this past fall, I went walking along the old runway remains.
Last week, I drove past the old site on the way to some nearby businesses.
A brand-new street now covers all traces of the runway, following the exact compass orientation of the old airport.
The surrounding land has also been leveled in preparation of new construction.”
See also: http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/planning/pdf/compplan/2DCToday.pdf
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