Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Texas, Southern Houston area
© 2002, © 2008 by Paul Freeman. Revised 1/24/08.
Camp Hulen AAF (revised 12/2/06) - Lake Jackson Dow Airport (revised 1/24/08) - Main Street Airport (added 2/6/03)
Sam Houston Airport (revised 2/3/06) - Sky Ranch Airport (added 2/7/03) - Skyport Airport (revised 2/8/03)
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Camp Hulen Army Airfield, Palacios, TX
28.71 North / 96.25 West (Southwest of Houston, TX)
The Camp Hulen "Nat'l Guard" Airfield, as depicted on the 1934 San Antonio Sectional Chart.
According to the Handbook of TX Online, what was originally known as Camp Palacios
was originally established as a summer training camp for the 36th Infantry Division of the TX National Guard
after the Palacios Campsite Association donated the land to the state in 1926.
The association had in mind the economic benefits a military training center would bring Palacios.
Some 6,500 men came to the first training session in the summer of 1926.
In 1930 the camp was renamed Camp Hulen, after John Augustus Hulen.
By 1934 some 1,886 concrete tent floors had been laid for the trainees.
The airfield at Camp Hulen was apparently established at some point between 1933-34,
as no airfield in Palacios was listed in The Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airports Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest reference to an airfield at Camp Hulen which has been located
was on the 1934 San Antonio Sectional Chart.
It depicted a military airfield labeled simply "Nat'l Guard",
located adjacent to then the western edge of the town of Palacios.
The 1934 Department of Commerce Airfield Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described the "36th Division TX National Guard Air Corps Field"
as being located "2 miles west of city on Hug-the-Coast Highway".
It was described as a 2,400' square sand field, with "no servicing facilities."
The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo)
listed a "National Guard" auxiliary airfield in Palacios, "2 miles west of city on highway."
It was described as a 2,400' square sand field, with "no service."
According to the Handbook of TX Online, in 1940 the War Department began to use Camp Hulen
for antiaircraft training for National Guard units from across the country,
as the surrounding bays provided a safe range for target practice.
The Palacios Airfield was depicted as the CAA Intermediate Field Site "9A"
on the October 1941 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks).
Thus it appears the field had joint civilian & military usage, at least for some period of time.
A September 1942 did extensive damage to Camp Hulen.
This may have been the reason for this airfield to be abandoned,
and construction began on a replacement airfield in October 1942,
just across Route 57 to the north.
The June 1943 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
still depicted the original Camp Hulen Airfield, labeled as "Palacios Army Air Field",
and also indicated that it was Department of Commerce Site 9A.
The original Camp Hulen Airfield was replaced by a new Palacios Army Airfield
on the north side of the highway “in mid-1943”, according to Ron Plante.
“Camp Hulen's short, unpaved runways were adequate for occasional pre-war Texas National Guard use,
but were totally unsuitable for sustained tow target operations
after the Camp was established as a Regular Army anti-aircraft artillery training center in 1941.
Poor drainage, a 3,500' max runway length, and no room to expand
led the Army Air Forces to build a brand-new field just north of Highway 35.
In July of 1943, Palacios AAF took over the tow target mission
with its three 5,000' concrete runways, a ramp, taxiways, and 13 hardstands.”
A 1944 aerial view (courtesy of Ron Plante) looking south at the original Camp Hullen airfield,
as well as the replacement Palacios AAF in the foreground.
By the time of the July 1945 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
the original Camp Hulen airfield was no longer depicted at all (only the new Palacios AAF was depicted).
According to Ron Plante, “The Camp Hulen strip may still have been used by liaison aircraft,
but when the post closed in 1946, that was the end of the airstrip.”
On May 31, 1946, the War Department declared Camp Hulen surplus
and returned it to the TX National Guard.
Rather than use it for summer training, the guard slowly dismantled it for scrap.
The original Camp Hulen Airfield was apparently never used again,
as it did not appear on later aeronautical charts or USGS topo maps.
In 1965 the property was sold to developers hoping to construct an industrial park.
However, by 1985 the abandoned camp still remained undeveloped.
As seen in the 1995 USGS aerial photo,
the outline of 3 former runway at the site of the former Camp Hulen Army Airfield were still quite obvious.
The longest runway was the 3,700' northwest/southeast strip.
Although there were several minor buildings around the periphery of the airfield site,
it did not appear as if any of them were originally related to the airfield.
In a July 2004 aerial photo of the former Camp Hulen Army Airfield (courtesy of Ed Oshinski),
the outline of the 3 former runways were still recognizable.
Ron Plante reported, “In September of 2006, the Camp Hulen cantonment area was being developed into housing,
but as near as I could tell the old airstrip was not affected.”
The site of the Camp Hulen Army Airfield is located west of the intersection of Route 35 & State Route Loop 141,
adjacent to the south side of Palacios Municipal Airport.
Thanks to David Brooks for locating this airfield.
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Skyport Airport, Houston, TX
29.69 North / 95.33 West (Southwest of Downtown Houston, TX)
Skyport Airport, as depicted on the June 1943 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
Skyport was yet another former general aviation airport
which was lost to the rapid expansion of the Houston metropolitan area.
This particularly short-lived airport was apparently established at some point between 1937-43,
as it was not listed in The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The earliest depiction of Skyport Airport which has been located
was on the June 1943 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Skyport as having a 3,500' unpaved runway.
The January 1950 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks)
described Skyport as a commercial airport having a total of three unpaved runways, with the longest being 3,350'.
David Brooks recalled, "My Uncle would go out to airfields to watch the planes & I liked to tag along.
Even though he would normally drive to the main Houston Municipal Airport (now Hobby),
there were two in the general area that we would stop at from time to time.
I can not say for sure I remember this field, but it is in the area that would be on the path he would drive.
He lived on Wheeler street across from the University of Houston
and we would normally drive in a southerly direction.
I recollect (vaguely) this field as it was on the road to Hobby.
It was relatively small & had a few light aircraft around some small buildings."
Skyport Airport was apparently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1950-52,
as it was no longer depicted at all on a 1952 Humble Oil street map of Houston,
or depicted at all on the 1964 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
As seen in the 1995 USGS aerial photo,
the site of Skyport Airport has been heavily redeveloped,
and not a trace appears to remain of the former airport.
The site of Skyport Airport is located at the intersection of Interstate 610 & Mykawa Road.
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Sky Ranch Airport, Houston, TX
29.64 North / 95.4 West (Southwest of Downtown Houston, TX)
Sky Ranch Airport, as depicted on the January 1950 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
Sky Ranch was another small general aviation airport
which was apparently established at some point between 1944-50,
as it was not listed among active airfields in the 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer).
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the January 1950 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks).
It described Sky Ranch as a commercial airport having a total of three unpaved runways,
with the longest being 2,200'.
Sky Ranch Airport may have been closed by 1952,
as it was no longer depicted at all on a 1952 Humble Oil street map of Houston,
or depicted at all on the 1964 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The outline of the former Sky Ranch Airport property has been superimposed by David Brooks over the 1995 USGS aerial photo.
Unlike many other former Houston-area airfields, the site has not been redeveloped,
and remained largely an open grass field.
Most remarkably, the layout of the former runways appears to still be recognizable.
The site of Sky Ranch Airport is located northwest of the intersection of Route 288 & Amelda Genca Road.
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Sam Houston Airport, Houston, TX
29.64 North / 95.49 West (Southwest of Downtown Houston, TX)
Sam Houston Airport, as depicted on the June 1943 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This small former general aviation airport was apparently established at some point between 1937-43,
as it was not listed in The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The earliest depiction of Sam Houston Airport which has been located
was on the June 1943 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Sam Houston as having a 3,200' unpaved runway.
Undated photos of the Anderson-Greenwood AG-14, built at the Sam Houston Airport.
Sam Houston Airport was also (briefly) the site of an aircraft manufacturer.
After the end of the Second World War, former Boeing employee Ben Anderson & his brother-in-law Marvin Greenwood
established a company at Sam Houston Airport to develop an aircraft
to satisfy the perceived post-war demand for general aviation aircraft.
Their AG-14 first flew on October 1, 1947.
It was an unusual design, having a twin-boom tail & a pusher propeller.
Five AG-14s were built, but unfortunately the program was not an economic success.
[As of 2004, at least one AG-14 survives, as well as possibly a second example.]
An undated photo from a December 1950 magazine article showing Ed Hoadley
flying an Anderson Greenwood AG-14 on approach to the northwest at Sam Houston Airport (courtesy of Mark Keith).
A circa 1949-51 picture (courtesy of Gordon Cragg) of the Sam Houston Airport office building, with a small tower.
Gordon recalled, “My Dad flew out of there in the late 1940's & early 1950's.”
The January 1950 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks)
described Sam Houston as having a total of five runways, with the longest being 3,600'.
Sam Houston Airport, as depicted on a 1952 Humble Oil street map of Houston.
Sam Houston Airport was still depicted as an active airport on a 1955 Humble Oil street map of Houston.
Sam Houston Airport was apparently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1955-60,
as this circa 1960 aerial view looking southwest at the site of the airport (courtesy of Mark Keith)
showed that the majority of the airport property had already been built upon by residential housing.
However, the remains of the former north/south runway were still recognizable (on the right side of the photo).
This version of the circa 1960 aerial view has been annotated by Mark Keith
to show the presumed alignment of the runways at the former Sam Houston Airport.
Sam Houston Airport was no longer depicted at all on a 1961 Humble Oil street map of Houston,
or depicted at all on the 1964 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The 1995 USGS aerial photo showed that the site of Sam Houston Airport had been thoroughly covered by housing,
and not a trace appeared to remain of the former airport.
As seen in the 2002 USGS aerial photo,
the site of Sam Houston Airport has been heavily redeveloped,
and not a trace appears to remain of the former airport.
The site of Sam Houston Airport is located northwest of the intersection of Main Street & Chimney Rock Road.
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Main Street Airport, Houston, TX
29.68 North / 95.43 West (Southwest of Downtown Houston, TX)
Main Street Airport, as depicted on the 1934 San Antonio Sectional Chart.
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
Houston's Main Street Airport apparently dated back to before 1934,
as "Main St" was depicted as a commercial or municipal airport on the 1934 San Antonio Sectional Chart.
An aerial view looking north at Houston Main Street Airport,
from The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The directory described Main Street Airport as having two sod runways, with the longest being the 1,600' east/west strip.
The aerial photo in the directory depicted a single hangar at the southeast corner of the field,
which was said to have "Houston Main Street" painted on the roof.
Main Street Airport was depicted on a 1940 Houston street map
as an irregularly-shaped property bounded by Route 59 on the southeast side.
Main Street Airport was described in the Aerodromes table
on the January 1950 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks)
as having two runways, with the longest being an 1,800' turf strip.
Main Street Airport may have been closed by 1952,
as it was not depicted at all on a 1952 Humble Oil street map of Houston.
Main Street Airport was definitely closed (for reasons unknown) at some point prior to 1962,
as it was no longer listed among active airfields in the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory,
or depicted at all on the 1964 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
As seen in the 1995 USGS aerial photo,
the site of Main Street Airport has been heavily redeveloped,
and not a trace appears to remain of the former airport.
The site of Main Street Airport is located north of the intersection of Interstate 610 & Main Street,
less than a mile west of the Astrodome.
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Lake Jackson Dow Airport, Lake Jackson, TX
29.04 North / 95.46 West (South of Houston, TX)
An entry from the 1963 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
This airport was built by the Dow Company.
According to “Episodes: TX Dow 1940-76” by Bill Colegrove (courtesy of Phil Beutel),
“The new Dow Airport in Lake Jackson was completed on January 5, 1956.
The Dow Cessna airplane landed there that afternoon.
The first passenger flight was on January 6,
with Dow TX Division General Manager Dr. A.P. Beutel as passenger.”
Phil Beutel recalled, “This airport was started by my Dad when he was the General Manager of the TX Division of Dow.
He had Dow's first private plane, so he could get from Freeport - Lake Jackson to Midland, MI without a lot of wasted time.”
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Lake Jackson Dow Airport
as consisting of a single 5,500' macadam Runway 15/33.
It also includes the note, "Caution: Emergency use only."
The 1963 TX Airport Directory depicted two hangars east of the runway,
one labeled "Dow area" & the other "public facilities".
The manager was listed as H.E. Merchant.
The Aerodromes table on the 1964 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Bill Suffa)
described Lake Jackson Airport as having a single 5,000' asphalt runway.
According to Richard Huntington,
"The Lake Jackson Airport has also a bit of publicity most people don't remember.
A plane [a National Airlines 727-200] was hijacked & landed there.
The event was covered by Jessica Savitch, then a reporter for a Houston TV station.
It happened in [July 12] 1972."
On the 1975 USGS topo map, the field is labeled "Brazoria County" Airport.
Lake Jackson Brazoria County Airport was depicted in the 1978 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
as having a single 5,000' asphalt Runway 15/33,
and two hangars along the east side.
The manager was listed as W. W. Lowrey.
The directory included the note: "New airport under construction for Brazoria County!"
A new Brazoria County Airport was built 5 miles to the north at some point between 1978-85,
at which point the original field was evidently closed.
By the time of the 1985 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse),
the original Lake Jackson Airport was no longer listed.
The 1995 USGS aerial photo showed that the field had been completely replaced by new roads & commercial buildings,
with only vestiges of the runway still being visible.
Ironically, the 1995 USGS topo map still depicted the former Lake Jackson Airport as being intact,
even though the aerial photo from the same year showed that most of the former airport had been removed.
The site of the former Lake Jackson Airport is located southeast of the intersection of Oyster Creek Drive & Lake Road.
Thanks to Bret Kepner for pointing out this airfield.
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