Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Northwestern Oregon
© 2002, © 2009 by Paul Freeman. Revised 6/25/09.
Bernard Field (revised 11/18/08) - (Original) Portland Municipal Airport / Swan Island Airport / Swan Island Heliport (revised 6/25/09)
Silverton Airport (revised 11/22/08) - Tongue Point NAS
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Silverton Intermediate Field / Silverton American Legion Airport / Adams Airport / Silverton Airport,
Silverton, OR
45.01 North / 122.81 West (Southwest of Portland, OR)
Silverton Airport, as depicted on the 1931 Department of Commerce Aeronautical Bulletin (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling).
According to Jonathan Westerling, “The Silverton Airport was an on-again off-again airport
which dates back to the 1920s & the San Francisco - Seattle Airway.”
The Silverton Airport may have been established at some point between 1930-31,
as it was not yet depicted in the 1930 Department of Commerce Airport Directory (according to David Brooks).
The earliest depiction which has been located of the Silverton Airport
was on the 1931 Department of Commerce Aeronautical Bulletin (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling).
It depicted Silverton as a commercial/municipal airport, Site 53 along the San Francisco - Seattle Airway.
It was apparently built as one of the Department of Commerce's network of Intermediate Fields,
which were constructed in the 1920s & 1930s for the emergency use of commercial aircraft flying routes between major cities.
The 1932 Department of Commerce Aeronautical Bulletin (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling)
described Silverton Airport as a Department of Comerce Intermediate Field, Site 53 along the San Francisco - Seattle Airway.
The field was said to be located ¾ of a mile northwest of the city, on the north side of the highway.
The property was said to be a 76 acre sod L-shaped field,
with 3 runways, the longest being a 2,350' northwest/southeast strip.
A hangar was said to be marked with “Silverton American Legion Airport” on its roof.
Silverton Airport was listed among active airfields
in The Airport Directory Company's 1933 & 1938 Airport Directories (according to Chris Kennedy).
However, Silverton Airport was no longer listed among active airfields
in The Airport Directory Company's 1941 Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).,
and was not depicted on Portland Sectional Charts from 1941, 1943, or 1945 (according to Chris Kennedy).
According to Dave Watson (the Silverton Airport property owner in 2008),
he grew up across from the airport & said that it was used to train WW2 pilots.
However, according to Chris Kennedy, “There weren't any Army Air Forces contract schools in Oregon in WWII.
It is possible though that Silverton was part of the Department of Commerce CPT program.
However, this program did not typically use intermediate fields, so I would say it isn't too likely it was used.”
Silverton Airport was not listed among active airfields
in the Haire Publishing Company's 1945 Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
The airport was evidently renamed “Adams Airport” at some point between 1932-48,
as that is how it was labeled on the October 1948 Portland Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Adams as having a 3,300' unpaved runway.
The 1949 OR Airport Directory (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling)
described Adams as a commercial airport managed by A.L. Adams.
It was said to have a single north/south 3,340' turf runway.
According to Dave Watson, his grandfather learned to fly there in the 1950s.
Silverton / Adams Airport apparently ceased operation at some point between 1949-54,
as it was as it was not depicted at all on the 1954 & 1965 Portland Sectional Charts (according to Chris Kennedy).
Silverton Airport may have reopened at some point between 1965-67,
as it was once again listed among active airfields in the 1967 AOPA Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
It was described as having a single 3,340' turf Runway 16/34.
It was described as a "Private airstrip. Use at own risk."
Silverton Airport apparently closed again at some point between 1967-70,
as it was not depicted at all on the 1970 Portland Sectional Chart (according to Jonathan Westerling).
Silverton Airport was not depicted at all on the January 1975 Seattle Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
Silverton Airport evidently reopened as a private airfield at some point between 1975-76,
as that is how it was listed in the 1976, 1977, and 1978 AOPA Airport Directories (according to Jonathan Westerling).
Silverton Airport was still listed in the 1980 AOPA Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
It was described as having a single 2,500' turf Runway 16/34.
It was described as a "Private airstrip. Use at own risk."
The Silverton Airport may have been closed again at some point between 1980-82,
as it was not depicted at all on the 1982 or 1985 USGS topo maps,
nor listed among active airfields in the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
The Silverton Airport was evidently reopened once again at some point between 1982-89,
as it was depicted as a private airfield on the 1989 Sectional Chart (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling).
It depicted Silverton as having a 2,500' unpaved runway.
The Silverton Airport was evidently closed (again) at some point between 1989-95,
as it was no longer listed among active airfields in the 1995 AOPA Airport Directory (according to Jonathan Westerling).
The 2000 USGS aerial photo showed that 3 (or possibly more) hangars remained standing,
but there was no longer any sign of runways at the site of Silverton Airport.
Jonathan Westerling reported in 2008, “Sometime after 2000, the current owner installed a narrow runway that can't be more than 20' wide.
I spoke with Dave Watson who currently owns the property as well as operating BC Plumbing in town.
He said previous owners reestablished the runway there in 2000 after an earlier owner had let the airport lapse.”
A 2005 aerial view showed the narrow north/south runway at Silverton.
A circa 2006 aerial view looking north at the south end of Silverton's runway,
showing the narrow gravel runway with a slightly-wider asphalt turnaround pad at the end.
What looks to be one arch-roof hangar is on the left, with possibly 2 other small hangars at the bottom-right.
It is not known if the 2 larger buildings on the left were ever used as hangars.
Jonathan Westerling reported in 2008, “The turnaround areas are paved for about 150' on each end. Most of the runway is gravel.
According to a lady from one of the businesses on the field, it has been almost 2 years since a plane landed there,
but there were several takeoffs each week for several years before that.
Mr. Watson applied for permit to reestablish an airport there (it is currently within the county's jurisdiction),
but was turned down 'because I didn't have a pilots license.'
He has since encouraged the city of Silverton to include the property in its expanded boundary since the city is in favor of the airport -
which makes sense given the fact that small airports bring a unique source of revenue to communities.
Perhaps this historic airport will live again?”
Silverton Airport is located northeast of the intersection of Airport Road & Aviation Way,
appropriately enough.
Thanks to Jonathan Westerling for pointing out this airfield.
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(Original) Portland Municipal Airport / Swan Island Airport / Swan Island Heliport, Portland, OR
45.56 North / 122.71 West (Southwest of Portland International Airport, OR)
A 1929 aerial view looking southeast at Swan Island Airport, showing 4 runways.
In 1925, like many growing urban areas, Portland insisted on having an airport.
Aviation interests proposed that the swampy Swan Island (northwest of downtown Portland on the Willamette River)
be used as an airport, and the Port of Portland purchased 253 acres.
Construction of the airport began in 1926.
Even though the airport was not yet completed
Charles Lindbergh flew in & dedicated the new airfield in 1927.
The earliest photo which has been located of the Swan Island Airport was a 1929 photo,
showing a total of 4 runways.
Construction of the airport was actually completed in May, 1930.
The airport’s services included airmail & passenger service.
A circa 1930s aerial view looking northwest at the Swan Island Airport.
An undated postcard view looking southeast, captioned “The Port of Portland Airport, Formerly Swan Island Airport”.
By 1935, it was becoming apparent to the Port of Portland that the Swan Island Airport was becoming obsolete.
The small airfield could not accommodate the larger aircraft & passenger loads expected to become common to Portland,
and it couldn't easily be expanded (due to its location on an island).
Plans were conceived to replace the airport with a larger municipal airport (a few miles to the northeast).
An aerial view looking south at the “Portland Municipal Airport”,
from The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airport Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The directory described the airport as consisting of a rectangular sod field, one which were 4 runways.
A hangar was said to be marked with “Portland” on the roof.
The original Portland Airport on Swan Island was still depicted as an active airfield
on the November 1941 Portland Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The Swan Island Airport was evidently closed at some point between 1941-43,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the March 1943 Portland Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
However, an adjacent seaplane facility was still shown.
A 1945 aerial view looking south at the shipyards which covered Swan Island by that time,
with not a trace left of the former airport.
A May 2, 1962 photo of Wes Lematta flying a Columbia Helicopters Hughes 269 over the frame of his new Swan Island headquarters.
However, Swan Island had a 2nd period of aviation use,
as in 1962 Columbia Helicopters moved their operations from Troutdale Airport to Swan Island,
according to an article in the Fall 2003 issue of Rotor magazine.
A July 18, 1962 aerial view of the grand opening of Columbia Helicopters' Swan Island facility,
showing a Kaman HH-43 Huskie, a Bell 47, and a Hughes 269 on the ramp in front of their hangar.
Was the Kaman operated by Columbia, or a visiting military aircraft?
An August 8, 1963 photo of Wes Lematta providing flight instruction in a Columbia Helicopters Hughes 269 at Swan Island.
An undated aerial view of 2 helicopters on the helipad in front of the Columbia Helicopters hangar at Swan Island heliport
from the 1964 OR Airport Directory (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling).
The operator was listed as Columbia Helicopters.
In 1969, Columbia Helicopters purchased 3 tandem-rotor Boeing-Vertol 107-II's from Pan Am.
The last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Swan Island
was on the June 1969 Portland Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
which depicted Swan Island as a heliport.
In 1976 Columbia Helicopters vacated Swan Island, moving their operations to Aurora, OR,
according to an article in the Fall 2003 issue of Rotor magazine.
This presumably was the end of the aviation use of Swan Island.
As seen in the 2002 USGS aerial photo,
the site of the former Swan Island Airport is now occupied by shipping facilities,
with not a trace of the former airport appearing to remain.
Where on Swan Island was the hangar used by Columbia Helicopters?
Keith Wood reported in 2005 that “Much of the eastern half of the airport site
belongs to Freightliner Corporate headquarters & related facilities.
The headquarters itself has a 'natural' colored roof, but is served by the large parking lot in the southeast corner of the island.
The largest of the grey-roofed buildings is a training center for DaimlerChrysler.”
The site of Swan Island Airport is located at the intersection of North Dolphin Street & North Lagoon Avenue.
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45.5 North / 122.81 West (West of Portland, OR)
A 1931 aerial view looking north along Cedar Street at Bernard Field.
The airfield consisted of a single north/south grass runway,
According to the City of Beaverton web site, when the Watts Airport at Erickson & 6th Street was outgrown,
Charles Bernard was approached about building a larger airfield.
Bernard built wood-frame hangars parallel to Cedar Street,
and the home-built airplane industry in Beaverton thrived.
The date of construction of Bernard Field has not been determined.
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located was the above 1931 aerial photo.
A 1930s aerial view looking south at Bernard Field.
On September 11, 1938 the Oregonian reported that Bernard Airport was
"perhaps the busiest noncommercial airport in the United States -
Beaverton - where exists the added distinction that most of the planes are amateur-built."
Bernard Field was depicted on the 1948 Portland Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
as having a 1,900' unpaved runway.
The 1949 OR Airport Directory (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling)
depicted Bernard Airport as having a single 1,850' sod & gravel northeast/southwest runway.
The manager was listed as Charles Bernard.
The 1961 USGS topo map depicted Bernard Airport as having a single northeast/southwest runway.
A 1966 aerial view looking north along Cedar Hills Boulevard at Beaverton Airport.
It appeared as if the runway had been paved at some point between 1948-66.
The field had a large number of individual T-hangars on the west & east sides of the field,
and a dozen light aircraft were also visible parked on the field.
Bernard Field was depicted on the 1968 Portland Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss)
as having a 2,400' paved runway.
According to the City of Beaverton web site, Bernard Field was closed in 1969.
At that time it was Oregon's oldest operating airport.
The former airport was demolished to make room for the Beaverton Mall.
As seen in the 2002 USGS aerial photo,
the site of the former airport is now occupied by the Cedar Hills Crossing shopping center,
with not a trace of the former airport appearing to remain.
The site of Bernard Field is located southwest of the intersection of Cedar Hills Boulevard & Jenkins Road.
Thanks for Karl Gruber for pointing out this airfield.
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Tongue Point Naval Air Station, Astoria, OR
46.2 North / 123.76 West (Northwest of Portland, OR)
The April 1943 1M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted the Tongue Point seaplane base as the "US Naval Air Station".
In 1919, Congress approved the construction of a submarine & destroyer base on Tongue Point,
a peninsula jutting into the Columbia River.
In 1921, Clatsop County transferred ownership of 395 acres to the federal government
and dredging began that same year.
Construction was completed in 1924,
with a breakwater & four wooden finger piers extending into Cathlamet Bay.
However, with decreased military appropriation following World War I,
the base was never used.
The actual ground breaking for the Naval Air Station began in 1939.
As there were many delays with Tongue Point, the Navy began to use 2 other nearby civil airports,
Moon Island Airport in Hoquiam, WA, and Clatsop County Airport in Warrenton.
Construction finally got underway at Tongue Point in 1943.
Tongue Point was to be a base for amphibious seaplane patrols of the coastline.
PBY Catalinas arrived in 1943 and began coastal patrols.
This proved difficult due to the logs & other floating debris on the Cathlamet Bay,
which made takeoff & landing conditions hazardous.
A WW2-era aerial view looking east at Tongue Point NAS (National Archives photo).
From 1943-1944 the station's intended mission was temporarily sidetracked,
when its facilities were used instead to assist the Kaiser Company in a critical shipbuilding program.
This became the facility's most significant role during WW2,
as a pre-commissioning & commissioning site for escort aircraft carriers
(better known as "jeep flattops") built in the big Victory ship yards in the Portland-Vancouver area.
In 1944 the PBY Catalinas at Tongue Point were replaced by larger & more capable PBM Mariners.
"Tongue Point (Navy)", as depicted on the March 1945 Seattle Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Anti-submarine patrols from Tongue Point were discontinued with the end of WW2 in 1945,
and the station was placed in a caretaker status in 1946.
Following WW2, the base was converted to a moorage facility for the Ready Reserve fleet.
To accommodate this fleet,
eight new concrete piers were built out into Cathlamet Bay.
From 1946-1962, the Navy stored as many as 250 mothballed Liberty ships at the facility.
By 1962, the Tongue Point Naval Air Station was transferred
to the General Services Administration as excess property.
When the station was deactivated by the Navy it consisted of 842 acres of land & water areas and 320 structures.
The Coast Guard Group / Air Station Astoria was established in 1964 at Tongue Point Naval Station.
A crew of 22 officers & 104 enlisted men operated 2 single-engine HH-52A Seaguard helicopters from Tongue Point.
The helicopters staged from the Port of Astoria Airport during periods of inclement weather.
This was done until the Air Station was permanently moved to its present location at the Warrenton Airport in 1966.
In 1981, the federal government sold much of the land (including 2 of the 3 hangars) to the State of Oregon.
Part of the facilities are used as the Tongue Point Job Corps Center.
The 1984 USGS topo map depicted the seaplane hangars & piers at Tongue Point.
As seen in the 1994 USGS aerial photo,
the facilities at Tongue Point consists of a large concrete seaplane ramp,
three hangars, a seaplane ramp, and numerous piers.
Undated photo looking west at the northern Tongue Point seaplane hangar, with the seaplane ramp in the foreground.
A 1997 Army Corps of Engineers report gives further details about Tongue Point.
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