Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
New York State: Rochester area
© 2002, © 2009 by Paul Freeman. Revised 2/5/09.
Brizee - Harmon Airport (revised 1/30/06) - Hylan Field (revised 2/5/08) - Sampson AFB / Seneca AAF (revised 2/5/09)
Taylor-Van Gelder Airport (revised 2/5/09) - Woodward Field / Le Roy Airport (revised 8/9/08)
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Brizee - Harmon Airport, Pittsford, NY
43.09 North / 77.48 West (Southeast of Rochester, NY)
Brizee Field, as depicted on the 1929 Rand-McNally Standard Map of NY with Air Trails (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Brizee-Harmon Airport was a small general aviation airport.
The precise date of establishment of the Brizee-Harmon Airport has not been determined.
According to Bob Bailey, “This airport... was in operation from the 1920’s.
The airport was opened by Warren Brizee.
Warren Brizee had learned to fly during the World War I period.
The airport was owned & managed a majority of the time by Roy Harmon.
Roy Harmon was the son-in-law of Warren Brizee.
Roy had also learned to fly about the same time.”
The earliest depiction which has been located of the Brizee Field
was on the 1929 Rand-McNally Standard Map of NY with Air Trails (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It described Brizee Field as a commercial field, operated by W.M. Brizee.
The field was said to measure 3,300' x 1,500'.
A late 1920s photo of the Taylor Chummy prototype next to the main hangar at Brizee (courtesy of Bob Bailey).
According to Bob Bailey, “The Taylor Chummy was built in Rochester.
The Taylor Brothers were friends of Warren Brizee.”
The Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described Brizee as a commercial field,
consisting of an 86-acre L-shaped sand field.
It was said to have 3 runways, measuring 3,000' northeast/southwest & northwest/southeast & 1,500' north/south.
The hangar was said to be marked with “Brizee Field” on the roof.
The earliest aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Brizee Field
was on the July 1934 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
A 1936 photo of 2 Taylor J-2 Cubs, a Waco RNF, and a Waco 10,
all of which had returned to Brizee after a barnstorming trip (courtesy of Bob Bailey).
According to Bob Bailey, “Roy Harmon was a school teacher & aeronautics in a Rochester, New York high school.
He would teach school during the day & operate the airport in the late afternoon, evenings and weekends.
While he was teaching school other employees would manage the airport for him.
My father, John Bailey, filled this position in the mid to late 1930’s.
During the 1930’s there was a flying club based at the airport.
Roy provided the instructors for the club.”
Bob continued, “There were originally 3 runways.
The shortest runway was the north-south runway, which was about 1,000' long.
In later years this runway was closed.
There was also a northwest-southeast runway, and the longest runway was the northeast-southwest runway which was 2,500' long.
There were trees along Marsh Road which bordered the west side of the airport.”
Bob continued, “In the mid 1930s Roy Harmon was giving a ride to a passenger in an Arrow Sport.
This was a low wing, side by side, open cockpit airplane.
It was powered by a Model A Ford engine.
After taxiing a short distance the engine quit.
Although some people offered to help restart the airplane Roy replied that he could do it himself.
Roy hand propped the airplane without any chocks & there were no brakes on the airplane.
The throttle was well open & the airplane began to roll forward after the engine started.
Roy made it around the wing & was about to climb in the cockpit
when the passenger dove out of the cockpit & knocked Roy down.
The airplane ended flipping over on its back.
Although there was minimal damage to the airplane, Roy began to get very safety conscious.
If Roy thought someone was not being careful enough he would insist that they not use the airport.
As a result, there were very few accidents at the airport.”
Bob continued, “Originally the office was in a lean-to that was built on the west side of the hangar.
In later years this was used for parts storage & parachute rigging loft.”
A former hot-dog stand became the airport office in 1937.
The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airport Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo)
described Brizee as a commercial field,
consisting of a rectangular sand field,
having 2 runways, measuring 3,300' east/west & 1,500' north/south.
The hangar was said to be marked with “Brizee Field” on the roof.
A winter 1938 aerial view of Brizee Airport (courtesy of Bob Bailey).
A winter 1938 view of 2 Taylors & a biplane in front of the Harmon Aviation hangar (courtesy of Bob Bailey).
A 1938 view of a Rearwin Sportster, Taylor E-2 Cub, a Taylorcraft,
the office, and hangar at Brizee Field.
The photo (courtesy of Bob Bailey) was colorized by a studio.
The April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described “Brizee Aviation” Airport as having a 2,500' unpaved runway.
The 1950 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Bob Bailey)
depicted Brizee-Harmon Airport as having a 2,500' unpaved runway.
Bob Bailey recalled, “Roy grew fruit & vegetables to sell between the runways.
I can recall corn, asparagus and peaches that were purchased at the airport.
In the spring Roy would tap the maple trees & would produce & sell maple syrup.
He had attended Cornell University & had studied agriculture.
He put his knowledge to good use.”
Bob continued, “In the early 1950’s the airport flourished.
The hangar was full & there were many airplanes tied down.
The airplanes ranged from Cubs, Aeroncas, Taylorcrafts, Luscombes and Cessnas
to a few military surplus airplanes up to an AT-6.”
A July 1952 aerial view, taken over the primary (northeast/southwest) runway (courtesy of Bob Bailey).
The airplanes are a Stinson 108, a Piper PA11 Cub Special, and 2 J-3 Cubs tied down next to the hangar.
Bob Bailey recalled, “In the late 1950s some individual hangars were built in midfield.
They were large T-hangars that accommodated six airplanes.
The main hangar normally held six airplanes.
There were still quite a few airplanes tied down until the airport closed.”
Bob continued, “The airport was quite busy in the 1950s & early 1960s.
By this time Roy Harmon had retired from teaching school & was at the airport full time.
He did flight instruction & for a while was a designated pilot examiner.
He was one of the few parachute riggers at the time & packed quite a few parachutes.”
An early 1960s view of the office & hangar (courtesy of Bob Bailey).
A 1963 view of the midfield T-hangars (courtesy of Bob Bailey).
An early 1960s view of a Taylorcraft which ended up in a tree at the end of one of the runways at Brizee (courtesy of Bob Bailey).
“It occurred as a result of a late go around after a bounced landing. There were no injuries.”
A 1963 aerial view looking northwest at Brizee Airport (courtesy of Bob Bailey).
The eventual cause of the airport's demise (housing developments) were already visible all around the field.
Rich Lanze recalled, “My dad used to have a 1946 Aeronca Champ back around 1964-66.
We first kept the Aeronca at Roy Harmon's on Marsh Road;
I still remember taking off over the gully at the East end of the field. “
The last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Brizee
was on the July 1964 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Brizee-Harmon Airport as having a 2,500' unpaved runway.
Bob Bailey recalled, “By the 1960’s Pittsford was experiencing rapid growth.
There were a lot of new homes being built.
Across Marsh Road, which bordered the west side of the airport, was the Monroe Golf Course.
Immediately to the north of the airport was the White Haven Cemetery.
The land to the south & east was prime real estate.
There were more & more homes built close to the airport.
Roy was made an offer for the land.
It was sold & the airport was closed by 1965.”
Roy Harmon went on the purchase the Hopewell Airpark in Canandaigua, NY, which he operated for a few years.
A housing development called Landmark Estates was built on the site of Brizee Airport,
covering the entire property with homes.
Bob Bailey recalled, “Like an increasing number of airports, Brizee was an airport that was a fun, enjoyable place to fly.
There was a lot of activity at various times in its history & it is an airport not easily replaced.”
By the time of the February 1966 Albany Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy),
Brizee Airport was no longer depicted at all.
As seen in the 2003 USGS aerial photo, no trace of the former airport still remains recognizable at the site of Brizee Field.
The site of Brizee Field is located west of the intersection of Marsh Road & Kitty Hawk Drive.
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Woodward Field / Le Roy Airport, Le Roy, NY
42.98 North / 77.97 West (Southwest of Rochester, NY)
A 1928 aerial view looking north at Woodward Field (courtesy of Ryan Keogh),
taken during festivities celebrating the airport's grand opening.
The field was depicted as having a single hangar with a control tower on the southwest corner, as well as at least 2 paved runways.
At least a dozen biplanes were visible on the field, along with thousands of people & cars.
Before the town of Le Roy got its first airport,
the little western New York village was known mostly for being the home
of the Jell-O manufacturing plant (established by the Woodward family).
According to the Woodward Memorial Library,
“Donald Woodward was the youngest of the sons.
Donald's passion was aviation.
He was the first person to step from an airplane on LeRoy soil.
In 1928, Donald converted 150 acres of farmland into an airport.”
Donald Woodward had purchased Amelia Earhart's airplane, the “Friendship”,
in 1928, and shipped it to Le Roy in time for the opening of his airport.
According to the Woodward Memorial Library,
“The Donald Woodward Airport opened in October 1928
attracting what police officials said at the time was the largest crowd ever assembled in Genesee County:
60,000 for the three-day event.”
According to Franklyn Dailey, the airport was said to have 4 paved runways, a hangar with a control tower on its corner,
passenger ramp, and space for parked aircraft.
A 1928 aerial view looking northwest at Woodward Field (courtesy of Ryan Keogh),
taken during the field's grand opening.
Three paved runways were visible, along with the hangar.
In January 1929, Amelia Earhart arrived in Le Roy by automobile to visit her former airplane, the “Friendship”.
The town of Le Roy was also the site of one of the early aeronautical light beacons
in the visual flight navigation path which spanned the United States.
Franklyn Dailey had his first airplane ride in the summer of 1929 at Woodward Airport.
The Stinson Detroiter was piloted by former World War I aviator Lieutenant Commander Russell Holderman, USNR
(Russell Holderman was also the Donald Woodward Airport's manager, and had a hand in the airport's design).
Most of the aircraft at Woodward at that point were the single-engine biplanes of early aviation.
A few of the aircraft parked at Leroy that summer were single-engine, high-wing monoplanes.
All were painted orange.
Donald Woodward's airport at Leroy held fly-in events,
attracting many well-known national & international figures, all pioneers in early aviation.
Woodward Airport, as depicted on the 1929 Rand McNally Standard Indexed Map With Air Trails, NY edition (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The earliest chart depiction of Woodward Airport which has been located
was on the July 1934 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Donald Woodward Airport as a commercial/municipal field.
An undated aerial view looking south at Le Roy Airport
from The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airport Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The directory described Le Roy as a commercial field,
consisting of a 140-acre irregularly-shaped sod field,
having 4 hard surfaced runways, with the longest being the 3,310' east/west strip.
An undated (circa 1930s?) photo of a Fokker Trimotor
from the cover of “Wings Over LeRoy, A History of Donald Woodward Airport” by Brian Duddy.
The White Aircraft Company was established at Woodward Airport in Le Roy in 1937 by Donald White.
In 1938 the firm acquired the Jones Aircraft Company inventory, as well as Argonaut Inc.
The next year, White purchased the rights to the Verville AT.
The products of the White Aircraft Company included the models A-R, D-25B, Gull, and PT-7,
all of which were produced in very small quantities.
In 1940, the White Aircraft Corporation relocated to Palmer, MA.
The April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Donald Woodward Airport as having a 2,800' runway.
However, the field was noted as being for “Gliders only”,
which may have been related to wartime flight training,
or perhaps due to wartime fuel rationing for civilian aviation.
The last aeronautical chart depiction of Woodward Airport which has been located
was on the November 1945 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Woodward as an auxiliary airfield.
Woodward Field was apparently abandoned at some point between 1945-49,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the 1949 Detroit Sectional Chart (courtesy of Donald Felton).
The field was not labeled at all (even though the hangar was still depicted) on the 1951 USGS topo map.
Woodward Field was evidently replaced (for reasons unknown) by the new Le Roy Airport, only 1 mile to the east.
However, it seems strange that Woodward Field (with its 4 paved runways & substantial hangar)
was replaced by a less elaborate airport (with only a single runway).
The 1977 USGS topo map didn't depict any airfield at the location of Woodward Field.
The 1983 USGS topo map depicted “LeRoy Airport” as having a single east/west runway.
The 1987 USGS topo map still depicted the former hangar, but the airfield itself was not labeled at all.
In the above 1995 USGS aerial photo, the former hangar was still recognizable,
as well as traces of all 4 former paved runways.
A 2005 photo by Ryan Keough looking northwest at the former hangar which remains standing at the site of Woodward Field.
A more recent equipment shelter sits to the left of the hangar.
A 2005 photo by Ryan Keough looking southeast at the former control tower attached to the hangar.
A 2005 photo by Ryan Keough of the traces of the lettering along the top of the south side of the former hangar.
According to Ryan, the traces of lettering were from the White Aircraft Company, and from the Civilian Pilot Training Program.
A 2005 photo by Ryan Keough looking south along the former paved runway area of Woodward Field.
Ryan Keough reported in 2005, “I believe the current owner is the Le Roy Department of Public Works.
They store their equipment (trucks, snowplows, etc) in it & the shed next to it
and built a larger building across the ramp from the hangar.
The land is leased farmland that is broken up among a few owners,
and it is fascinating that even though the runways are long gone,
the outlines are still there & there is a distinct difference
between the soil of the runways & the soil of the surrounding area.”
A circa 2005 aerial photo looking north at Woodward Field's former hangar, along with the more recent buildings.
An October 2006 aerial view by Darrell Klein looking northwest at the site of Woodward Field,
showing the remains of the runways as well as the former hangars.
The site of Woodward Field is located on the west side of Asbury Road, south of Route 5.
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43.08 North / 77.64 West (Northwest of New York, NY)
Hylan Field, as depicted on the November 1942 10M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airport has not been located.
This former general aviation was evidently established 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 Hylan Field which has been located
was on the November 1942 10M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Hylan as having a 5,000' unpaved runway.
The last chart depiction which has been located of Hyland Field
was on the November 1945 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Hylan as a commercial airport.
The first meeting of EAA Chapter 44 was held at Hylan Airport on February 25, 1958.
A vintage metal sign for Hylan Airport.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Hylan Field
as having 2 cinder runways: 3,000' Runway 14/32 & 2,650' Runway 7/25.
The operator was listed as the Ray Hylan School of Aeronautics, Inc. (a Piper dealer).
For many years the manager of Hylan Airport was Ray Detor.
Rich Lanze recalled, “We ended up moving the plane [an Aeronca]
to Ray Hyland's & parking next to what used to be Howard Johnson's.”
Bruce Jenkins recalled that he was “one who finished learning to fly there, flew my 1st solo out of that field
and was instructed by Ray Detor as well as Ray Hylan.
The runways were paved with asphalt when I flew there in 1970-71
and I learned a great deal about flying into & out of airports with snow-covered runways.
I was lucky enough to have gotten to know Ray Hylan fairly well
and my greatest regret is that I didn't record some of our conversations.
He was a master storyteller & had limitless experiences to talk about.
Movies could have been made about his exploits.”
Bruce continued, “Ray Hylan closed the airport in 1971
and moved the Ray Hylan School of Aeronautics to the Rochester/Monroe County Airport.
Ray Hylan moved from Hylan Airport so he could complete his dream of developing Market Place Mall,
which now occupies the area.
When the real estate taxes became so high in the late 1960s & early 1970s,
Ray decided to close the airport because the flight operations there
could no longer support the operating costs & the increasing tax bill.
His fight to build the shopping center actually took several years from inception to victory
and he died shortly after the shopping center opened.
He had been diagnosed with cancer during the construction of Market Place
and while he was very ill, I personally believe he survived to see his dream dedicated.”
The 1972 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Ron Plante) no longer depicted the field at all.
Ron Plante recalled, "I remember seeing the runways while visiting friends in Rochester in the mid-1970s."
The 1994 USGS aerial photo showed that the site of the former Hylan Field had been covered by the Marketplace Mall.
No obvious trace of the former airport remained.
The site of the former Hylan Field is located southwest of the intersection of Jefferson Road & Hylan Road,
appropriately enough.
Thanks to Ron Plante for pointing out this airfield.
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Taylor-Van Gelder Airport (00G), Hammondsport, NY
42.44 North / 77.21 West (Southeast of Rochester, NY)
Taylor-Van Gelder Airport,
as depicted by the 1967 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe) as a public-use airport.
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
According to Gardner Soule, "Taylor Van Gelder was built by Walter Taylor,
formerly of Taylor wines & later founding Bully Hill Winery which is on the airport grounds."
The airfield was apparently built at some point between 1963-66,
as it was not yet depicted on the 1963 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
The earliest reference to Taylor-Van Gelder Airport which has been located
comes from Gardner Soule, who recalled,
"I landed there in 1966 & was given a tour of the home he was building next to the airport.
Landing to the west was kind of like an aircraft carrier landing with the ground coming up to meet you."
The earliest chart depiction of Taylor-Van Gelder Airport which has been located
was on the 1967 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
It described the field as a public-use airfield (not a private field),
with a single 3,000' asphalt runway.
Taylor-Van Gelder Gelder had become a private airfield
by the time of the 1976 Detroit Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
The last listing which has been located of Taylor-Van Gelder Airfield
was in the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury).
It was described as a private field with a single 3,195' asphalt Runway 10/28.
Taylor-Van Gelder Airport was evidently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1982-91,
as it was depicted as an abandoned airfield on the 1991 World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Ed Drury).
In the above 1994 USGS aerial photo, the runway was still totally intact,
but prominently painted with closed runway "X" markings.
A May 30, 2007 aerial view looking southwest at Taylor-Van Gelder Airfield
showed the airfield to remain completely intact.
The airport is located northwest of the intersection of
GH Taylor Memorial Drive & Stephanie G Taylor Memorial Drive,
two miles northeast of Hammondsport.
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Sampson Air Force Base / Seneca Army Airfield (SSN), Romulus, NY
42.72 North / 76.88 West (Southwest of Syracuse, NY)
A 1953 aerial photo of the airfield at Sampson AFB.
This site of this airfield was originally the location of the Sampson Naval Training Station,
which was built in 1942 to provide basic training for large numbers of naval personnel.
It was adjacent to the Army's Seneca Depot,
which was built in the 1940's & covered about 30 square miles.
The Depot was used to store a wide variety of Army ammunition.
Sampson Naval Training Station was turned over to the War Assets Administration as surplus in 1946.
No airfield was yet depicted at Sampson on the July 1949 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Custody of the most of the property of the training center were transferred to the Air Force in 1950.
The Air Force named the facility Sampson Air Force Base,
which was designated a permanent installation of the Air Force by the Air Training Command in 1952.
The Air Force, like the Navy before them, used Sampson as a major training center.
At some point between 1952-53,
the Air Force built a runway & other facilities to adapt the installation to their needs.
An aerial photo from 1952 show that the runway had not yet been built.
It was apparently built sometime before the above photo was taken in 1953,
as it does show the runway.
Dick Garfield recalled, "I went through basic at Sampson in November 1953 - January 1954.
On or about January 22 1954, I flew out of Sampson to Lowry AFB, Denver, CO.
I understand that we were one of the first to use the runway there."
Sampson's airfield may not have yet been officially opened at that point,
as no airfield was depicted at the site on the 1954 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
An undated postcard of Sampson AFB (courtesy of Rex Ricks).
Sampson AFB was depicted on the November 1956 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
as having a 5,000' hard-surface runway.
The Air Force Training Center, however, did not last much longer than the Navy's.
The base officially closed in 1956 & reverted to caretaker status.
From 1958-1962, the Army acquired the airfield property (a total of 629 acres) from the Air Force.
The former Sampson AFB runway became known as Seneca Army Airfield,
and was used to operate flights in support of the depot.
Seneca AAF, as depicted on the 1962 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
It was still depicted as "Seneca AAF" on the 1963 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
Dennis Sandow recalled, "I was stationed there (at the Ordnance Depot) in 1964-65.
At that time, the airfield looked abandoned was wide open to ground access (it was outside the Depot fence).
Air access, too.
The routine security patrols reported anecdotally that they encountered small private aircraft stopped on the runway
with the passengers taking time out for a little undescribed 'recreation'.
Of course, if they saw the MPs coming, it was easy to make a clean getaway."
"But when an air movement was required, matters changed.
MPs would seal up the field.
The base fire department would roll trucks to the airfield (all ammo depots have their own fire department).
A medical officer would show up.
And the post Signal Officer (me) brought out a crew to fire up the radio (singular).
Yes, we used UNICOM to talk down the C-130's.
Basically, we reported the wind & then it was pilot's discretion.
We operated from the ground. No one went up into the tower you have pictured.
The flight plans were never discussed.
The planes came out of the sky & went back into the sky to undisclosed destinations."
At some point between 1965-66, a strange change of status occurred for this military airfield:
it was briefly reestablished as a civilian airfield, the "North Star Seneca Airpark".
Gardner Soule recalled, "The North Star Seneca, Seneca Army Depot, was open briefly in the mid 1960s.
I landed there several times, the first being in 1966.
The concept was a camping airport."
"North Star Seneca Airpark" was depicted on the 1967 Albany Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
as a civilian airfield, having a 5,000' paved runway.
The duration of the civilian use of the Seneca airfield has not been determined,
but it was evidently a brief period.
Gardner Soule recalled, "Apparently it never caught on or the airport reverted to military control possibly because of Viet Nam?"
Later charts reverted to labeling the airfield as "Seneca AAF".
David Brooks recalled, "I worked for Raytheon for a while at Lake Seneca.
The Navy has (had?) a test site there as Lake Seneca is the deepest lake in the US.
They tested nuclear subs' sonar systems there off barges at the deepest part (~650ft.).
The Navy would operate helicopters (S-61s & other types) & come out to the lake as we would be running tests.
They would record our 'pinging' & we would make special tests for them (anti-submarine).
During that time (1967-68) a number of Air Force cargo planes landed there.
I drove over there & noted it was a small field (minimum structures & one runway).
I guess that they would come in & bring or pickup munitions from the big munitions dump next too it."
A 1983 aerial view looking east at Seneca AAF (courtesy of Ron Plante).
Ron Plante recalled, "I worked at the Seneca Army Depot from 1983-86
and spent some time at the airfield.
I'm certain the control tower was closed up,
though the lower floors of the building may have been used as offices.
The former fire station bays were used as hangars for the Hueys supporting depot security.
A small office next to the bays was used for airfield operations,
and it had a radio & weather instruments to provide airport advisory for the occasional C-141.
To the best of my knowledge, the perimeter fence & gatehouse were added in 1983 or 1984."
USGS aerial photo 1995.
A 1995 photo by Scott Murdock of the former Sampson AFB base hospital's power station.
Scott reported, “I found lots of abandoned buildings out in the far reaches of the former base."
A 1995 photo by Scott Murdock of the abandoned guard shack at the main gate of the former Sampson AFB.
A 1995 photo by Scott Murdock of the view out of the abandoned guard shack at the main gate of the former Sampson AFB.
The Seneca Army Depot was identified for closure in 1995 as part of the BRAC process.
Seneca AAF was still depicted as an active airfield on the 1998 World Aeronautical Chart,
but was closed by 2000.
At the point of its closure,
the airfield consists of a single paved runway (16/34, 7,000' long), taxiways & a ramp.
The Seneca Army Depot was closed by 2001.
The property of the Seneca Army Depot is being converted to civilian reuse.
A 500 acre site (including the airfield) is being conveyed to the New York State Police
for law enforcement training purposes.
Other portions are now a state park.
A 2003 photo by Ronald Plante of the abandoned control tower at Seneca AAF.
A 2003 photo by Ronald Plante of an abandoned runway at Seneca AAF.
A 2003 photo by Ronald Plante of the former fire station at Seneca AAF.
Ronald Plante reported in 2003, "Some of the airfield is being developed into an emergency services training site.
Just inside the gate is a brand new State Police barracks,
and sharing the building is a police & fire training center.
A new fire training tower was built southeast of the control tower,
and the 7,000' runway is used for high-speed police pursuit training.
The control tower & fire station are empty."
Gardner Soule recalled in 2004, "There is a fine state park adjacent to the airport which used to be part of the military complex there.
Our company did a fly-over there about a year ago to promote the airport to potential investors.
It is still abandoned, however."
A circa 2006 aerial photo looking west at the abandoned former airfield fire station, former control tower,
and a newer-construction building at the former Seneca AAF.
A May 30, 2007 aerial view looking northeast at Seneca AAF,
showing this fine facility remaining completely intact.
An Army Corps of Engineers report gives more details about Sampson AFB (Seneca AAF).
See also: SampsonVets.
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