Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Texas: Western Houston area

Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:

Texas, Western Houston area

Andrau Airpark (revised 4/15/07) - (Original) Bay City Municipal Airport (added 10/31/04)

(Original) Columbus Municipal (revised 7/29/05) - Sugar Land State Prison Airfield (added 8/9/03)

____________________________________________________

(Original) Bay City Municipal Airport (T26), Bay City, TX

28.98 North / 95.94 West (West of Houston, TX)

The original Bay City Municipal Airport,

as depicted on the 1951 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks).

Photo of the airport while open has not been located.

The original Municipal Airport for the town of Bay City was located adjacent to the east side of the town.

The date of construction of the original Bay City Municipal Airport has not been determined.

It was evidently established at some point between 1944-45,

as it was not yet listed among active airfields in the April 1944 U.S. Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer).

The earliest depiction of the original Bay City Municipal Airport which has been located

was on the 1945 Edwards Plateau World Aeronautical Chart (according to David Brooks).

The 1951 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks)

depicted Bay City as having a 2,500' unpaved runway.

The 1966 AOPA Airport Directory (according to David Brooks) described Bay City

as having 3 turf runways: 2,470' Runway 17/35, 2,300' Runway 13/31, and 2,200' Runway 8/26.

The 1971 Flight Guide (courtesy of David Brooks) depicted Bay City

as having three unpaved runways, with the longest being the 2,470' Runway 17/35.

Four buildings (hangars?) were located on the northwest side of the field.

The 1989 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of David Brooks)

depicted Bay City as having four unpaved runways, with the longest being the 2,495' Runway 17/35.

Ten small buildings were clustered around the northwest side of the field,

with another three small buildings on the east side of the field.

The manager was listed as Jim Warnock.

In the 1995 USGS aerial photo,

it is not apparent if the original Bay City Airport was still in use, or had been closed already,

as the field was still completely intact.

The outline of the three grass runways was still very recognizable,

and several hangars were clustered around the northwest corner of the field.

The original Bay City Municipal Airport was closed at some point between 1989-2004,

as it was no longer listed among active airfields as of 2004.

An October 2004 photo by David Brooks of the abandoned Bay City Airport,

"taken from the where the runway used to come to the road, so the picture is looking southeast."

David Brooks visited the site of the original Bay City Municipal Airport in October 2004.

His report: "Well - it is closed. Amazingly, the field is pretty much in tack.

The old hangars are in disrepair & rusting. The field has some fences across it.

So this field can definitely be put down in the closed list.

I could not get to the end of runway 35. The road has been torn up & a fence put in."

An October 2004 photo by David Brooks of the hangars at Bay City,

"taken from the railroad crossing which runs along the north side of the airfield.

The hangars are rusting & falling in a bit.

An October 2004 photo by David Brooks of what appears to be the abandoned wind direction indicator (tetrahedron).

The original Bay City Airport is located southeast of the intersection of Route 35 & Norvell Avenue.

Thanks to David Brooks for pointing out this airfield.

____________________________________________________

(Original) Columbus Municipal Airport (6R7), Columbus, TX

29.72 North / 96.56 West (West of Houston, TX)

Columbus Municipal Airport, as depicted on the 1950 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks).

Photo of the airport while open has not been located.

The original airport for the town of Columbus was located on the northwest side of the town.

The date of construction of the original Columbus Municipal Airport has not been determined.

It was evidently established at some point between 1945-49,

as it was not yet depicted on the 1945 San Antonio Sectional Chart (according to David Brooks).

The earliest depiction of the Columbus Municipal Airport which has been located

was on the January 1949 San Antonio Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).

It was described as a fairly minimal airfield, with a 2,300' turf runway, and being unattended.

The 1963 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse) depicted Columbus

as having two turf runways (3,100' Runway 13/31 & 1,800' Runway 18/36).

Taxiways led to a small ramp on the northwest corner of the field with two T-hangars.

The operator was listed as T. B. West, Inc., and the manager was T. B. West.

Columbus apparently gained a paved runway at some point between 193-67,

as the 1967 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Brad Stanford)

depicted the field as having a 2,700' asphalt Runway 13/31, with a 600' turf overrun at the southeast end.

The former crosswind grass runway had apparently been abandoned.

The manager was listed as T. B. West.

The 1981 USGS topo map depicted two other buildings having been built at the northwest corner of the airfield,

in comparison to the diagram in the 1967 TX Airport Directory.

The 1982 AOPA Airports USA directory (courtesy of Ed Drury)

described Columbus as having a single 3,200' asphalt Runway 13/31.

The field was said to offer fuel, major repairs, and tiedowns.

The operator was listed as Columbus Aviation.

However, the end was in sight for the airfield at this location,

as the remarks said, "Possible closing of airport for relocation."

That possibility was evidently carried out at some point within the next year,

as the 1983 TX Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy)

depicted a new Robert R. Wells Airport, located 3.5 miles south of Columbus,

but the original Columbus Airport was no longer listed.

As seen in the 1995 USGS aerial photo,

the majority of the former asphalt Runway 13/31 still remains intact,

but a pit of some kind appears to have been dug over the northwestern portion of the former runway.

None of the airport buildings remain at the site.

A 2005 photo looking north at the remains of the Columbus runway,

taken by the Colorado County CAP Composite Squadron (courtesy of Troy Millican).

The site of the original Columbus Municipal Airport is located west of the intersection of Route 71F & Braden Lane.

Thanks to David Brooks for locating this airfield.

____________________________________________________

Sugar Land State Prison Airfield, Sugar Land, TX

29.6 North / 95.65 West (Southwest of Houston, TX)

USGS topo map 1980.

Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.

This abandoned airfield is located on the grounds of the State Prison Farm,

less than a mile south of the Sugar Land Hull Airport.

The date of construction of the airfield is unknown.

The only depiction of the airfield which has been located is the 1980 USGS topo map.

It depicted the airfield as consisting of a single 3,200' north/south runway,

adjacent to the west side of Flanagan Road.

Mike Hardwick reported in 2003, "About 15 years ago I came across a small airfield

about 1 mile south of the Sugar Land Hull airport.

I was told it was a landing strip for the prison system airplanes."

John Mechura also reported in 2003, "I found this one while using the road next to it as a shortcut.

This is on State of Texas prison farm property.

Officially its the Sugar Land Prison unit.

The irony is it is only about 1/2 mile south east of the Sugar Land Municipal Airport.

Its surface is concrete, and there is the frame to an old windsock nearby."

The Prison airfield was not listed in TX Airport Directories from 1963 or 1985,

or in the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory.

In the 1995 USGS aerial photo, the runway appeared to be paved, and in decent condition.

There did not appear to be any other aviation infrastructure at the site, other than the runway itself.

The date of closure of the prison airfield is unknown.

A seen in this circa 2000 aerial photo,

the runway appeared to remain in decent condition.

No airfield was listed at the site in 2003 FAA records, or depicted on the 2003 Sectional Chart.

Claud Pipkin reported in 2003, "Being that this airstrip is in the middle of the prison field,

I suspect it's prime use is for crop-dusters.

I've seen the prison 'farm' and it is fairly large, crop field wise;

a place for crop dusters would be handy."

____________________________________________________

Andrau Airpark (AAP), Alief, TX

29.72 North / 95.59 West (West of Houston, TX)

A 1953 aerial photo (courtesy of John Lembcke) of the northeast corner of Andrau Airpark,

showing several hangars & a few light aircraft, along with with appears to be a DC-3.

The date of construction of this former general aviation airport is unknown.

It was not yet depicted on a 1944 aerial photo (courtesy of John Lembcke).

According to Jim Schuler, “I was told by the managers there the field was being used in some capacity as early as 1946,

but I've no documentation to support that.”

However, the airport was not yet depicted at all

on the 1952 Humble Oil street map of Houston.

The earliest depiction of Andrau Airpark that has been located

was on a 1953 aerial photo (courtesy of John Lembcke).

It depicted the northeast corner of Andrau Airpark,

showing several hangars & a few light aircraft, along with with appears to be a DC-3.

The earliest aeronautical chart depiction of Andrau Airpark that has been located

was on the August 1954 Edwards Plateau World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

It depicted Andrau as having a 3,400' hard-surface runway,

and an NDB navigational beacon on the field.

Claud Pipkin recalled of Andrau Airpark, "While in High School or just out of school [prior to 1957], I would go out there.

Baroid Corporation (drilling muds) had an Aero Commander that was often seen on the flight line.

It was bright yellow with red trim. I can't remember now whether it had a straight or swept tail.

It definitely had the fat nacelles."

A 1957 aerial view depicted Andrau as having 2 paved runways,

and a large number of hangars on the northeast side of the field,

and over 30 aircraft on the field.

The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Andrau Airpark as having 2 paved runways (the primary, Runway 16/34, was 4,710' long),

and listed the operators as Andrau Airpark Inc. & Dave Wallace Company.

The 1963 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse) depicted Andrau Airpark

as having two asphalt/concrete runways: 5,000' Runway 16/34 & 3,000' Runway 11/29.

There were already a large number of hangars at Andrau in 1963:

six large hangars, and 17 4-place hangars.

The manager was listed as Mrs. H. B. Andrau.

A 1979 aerial photo (courtesy of John Lembcke) of the northeast corner of Andrau Airpark,

showing the large number of hangars & planes at the field.

A 1979 photo by Ricky Baker taken while Robin Elston flew final approach to Andrau's Runway 16 in a Cessna 172.

A 1979 photo of Robin Elston in front of a Cessna 152, after he had flown his 3-leg solo flight,

with some of Andrau's hangars visible in the background.

Robin recalled, “I took flight training at Andrau from Norris Aviation operated by Mary Jane Norris in 1979.”

A 1979 photo by Robin Elston of a turboprop landing on Andrau's Runway 16 at night.

A circa 1980-81 photo of Mark Robinson in front of an A-26C Invader parked at the north end of Andrau.

Mark Robinson recalled visiting Andrau "twice in the early 1980's",

where he saw an A-26C Invader parked on the north end of the field.

"A group of Confederate Air Force folks were flying & maintaining this aircraft at the time.

I helped out on a sparkplug change & then saw it flying some time later when I was (again) visiting Houston.

There was what I think was a PacAero Learstar (executive Loadstar) based there.

I saw it fly one time, in 1981. Nicely maintained in a white/yellow/black paint job. I don't know who owned it."

Hurricane Alicia caused damage at Andrau in 1983,

flipping over at least one Cessna 152.

An entry from the 1985 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse).

Ranger Aircraft Enterprises (a maintenance shop operated by Tom McDonald)

was located at Andrau in the 1980s.

Able Aviation was a flight school at Andrau, operated by Mary Able.

Walter Aviation moved to Andrau from Houston Southwest Airport in 1993 (according to Robin Elston).

The 1996 USGS aerial photo showed a total of 9 aircraft parked outside at Andrau.

Andrau Airpark was closed in 1998,

when the prices offered by developers for the land won out over continued operation of the airpark.

Apparently the Andrau family had been just waiting to sell,

as no improvements had been made to the facility in years - it looked pretty shabby.

According to Jim Schuler, “I used to work & fly out of there until it closed in 1998.

The youngest Andraus were waiting for the last of the eldest to pass on -

apparently it was set up that the field would remain open until a certain family member passed away.”

The Andrau property (755 acres) was purchased for $53 million in 1998 by Camden, a Houston realty company.

A 1998 aerial view by Jim Schuler looking east at Andrau Airpark, with the Houston skyline in the background.

A 1998 photo by Jim Schuler of the office of Walter Aviation at Andrau Airpark.

According to Peder Serkland, the airport was razed only a couple of months after being purchased.

As of 2001, upscale houses, a golf course and a large retail center

were under development on the former airport site.

The Royal Oaks golf course community was being built on about 500 acres of the airport site,

and the Royal Oaks Village shopping center will be built another 32 acre parcel.

Tim Kraemer contributed a poignant commentary to the closure of this field:

"Having grown up right near Andrau Airport

I really get a sad feeling deep down inside knowing now that the airport of my childhood memories is gone.

It seems like in the seventies everybody knew somebody who owned or flew a Cessna.

I really wish somehow it would go back the other way, and private aviation could be 'cool & cheap' again.

With all the technology available today, I can't understand why somebody can't produce cheap, safe planes anymore.

It seems with all the insane traffic congestion we face, the sky is the only place left to go.

With all the small airports gone, the likelihood of that happening is dwindling fast."

The 2002 USGS aerial photo showed that the site of the former Andrau Airpark is no longer even recognizable

as having been a former airfield.

The site of Andrau Airpark is located

southeast of the intersection of Richmond Avenue & Old Westheimer Road.

Thanks to Steve Cruse for providing information about Andrau.