Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Texas - Western San Antonio area
© 2002, © 2008 by Paul Freeman. Revised 1/21/08.
Art Stewart Airport / Standard Industries Airfield (revised 1/21/08) - Bandera Airport / Flying L Ranch (revised 1/21/08)
Hurt Field (revised 1/22/05) - Kelly Field #1 / Duncan Field (revised 8/5/07) - Purple Sage Ranch (revised 1/21/08)
Westside Executive Airport / Westside Airpark (revised 1/21/08) - Wilcut Airport / Bexar County Airport (revised 2/21/04)
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29.44 North / 98.6 West (West of Downtown San Antonio, TX)
Hurt Field, as depicted on the 1945 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The date of construction of Hurt Field has not been determined.
According to David Brooks, it "opened sometime during the 1930s."
However, no airfield at this location was depicted on the 1934 San Antonio Sectional Chart,
or listed in The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
Furthermore, a 1938 aerial photo of the site of Hurt Field (according to Steve Frost) did not depict an airfield, just open farm fields.
The earliest reference to Hurt Field which has been located
was in the April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer),
which listed a San Antonio "Hurt", but said "no data available."
Tammy Frost reported, "I just got in touch with the air museum at Lackland AFB
and learned that Hurt Field was a private airstrip used by Lackland during WW2 for 'touch & go' exercises,
and the field reverted back to private use after the war.
They told us that there is no military record of the field because it was only annexed briefly."
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the 1945 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
which depicted "Hurt" as a commercial or municipal airport.
The entrance to Hurt Field was at the intersection of Culebra Road & Callaghan Road (according to David Brooks).
The Aerodromes table on the February 1950 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks)
described Hurt Field as having 2 runways, with the longest being a 4,000' paved strip.
Gasoline & major maintenance were available, as it was designated as a commercial airfield.
Hurt Field was apparently closed at some point between 1950-54,
as it was not depicted at all on the August 1954 Edward's Plateau World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
A 1959 Soil Conservation Service aerial photo (courtesy of Steve Frost)
depicted Hurt Field as having 2 paved runways, with a few small buildings on the west side of the field.
According to David Brooks, Hurt Field was "most likely discontinued sometime in the late 1950s
due to growth of San Antonio & the development immediately to the west of the Southwest Research Institute."
Another reason was probably Hurt Field's location only 3 miles away
directly along the extended centerline of the main runway of Kelly AFB.
No airfield was depicted at the site on a 1961 county road map (according to David Brooks).
In a 1966 aerial photo (according to Steve Frost), Hurt Field appeared to be abandoned & grown-over.
The 1993 USGS topo map depicted an "Army Reserve Training Center"
on the western edge of the former airfield property.
As seen in the 1995 USGS aerial photo, the faint outline of at least one runway (oriented northwest/southeast)
was still visible at the site of Hurt Field.
The site of Hurt Field is located southeast of the intersection of Culebra Road & Callaghan Road.
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Wilcut Airport / Bexar County Airport, San Antonio, TX
29.33 North / 98.55 West (Southwest of Downtown San Antonio, TX)
Wilcut Airport, as depicted on the June 1943 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield while in use has not been located.
The date of construction of the Wilcut Airport has not been determined.
It was apparently established at some point between 1938-43,
as it was not listed among active airfields in the Airport Directory Company's 1938 Airports Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the June 1943 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted "Wilcut" as a commercial or municipal airport.
The April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described the "Bexar County (Wilcut)" Airport as having a 2,200' unpaved runway.
By the time of the 1945 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
it was labeled as the "Bexar County" Airport.
The Aerodromes table on the February 1950 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks)
described Bexar County as having 2 runways, with the longest being a 3,720' paved strip.
Bexar County Airport was evidently closed at some point between 1950-54,
as it was no longer depicted on the August 1954 Edwards Plateau World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
David Brooks observed that "Probably 2 events required it to be closed down.
First, expansion of the city & particular, the construction of Interstate 35
and the interchange with Loop 422.
The secondary reason is it lies on the direct flight path to the main runway at Kelley AFB.
It probably closed in the late 1950s or early 1960s.
Interstate 35 was constructed during the period of 1960-65."
USGS aerial photo 1995.
The site of Bexar County Airport is located south of the intersection of Interstate 35 & Route 16.
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Bandera Airport / Flying L Ranch (T33), Bandera, TX
29.71 North / 99.05 West (Northwest of San Antonio, TX)
What was originally the Bandera Airport,
as depicted on the January 1949 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The 542-acre Flying L Ranch was purchased in 1946 by Jack Lapham,
a retired Air Corps colonel.
The Colonel built an airstrip & ran a flight school here.
As people began visiting the ranch, guest houses were built,
and it eventually became a well-known stop for many celebrities.
The airfield was known at first as "Bandera",
as that is how it was labeled on the January 1949 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It was described as having a 2,600' hard-surface runway.
The airfield had been renamed "Flying L Ranch"
by the time of the August 1954 World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
An undated photo of a twin engine plane at the Flying L Ranch (courtesy of Steve Cruse).
An undated photo of a Stinson 108-2 in front of a hangar at the Flying L Ranch.
The photo is courtesy of Bill Suffa,
who found it hanging "on the wall of Busbee's Barbeque in Bandera (cowboy capital of the world)".
An undated photo of the lodge at the Flying L Ranch, from a 1954 magazine article (courtesy of Steve Cruse).
An article in the 6/54 issue of Air Facts Magazine described the Flying L Ranch as "a lovely place.
The runway is paved & long, there's lots of hangar space,
and seeing his Twin Beech & Tri-Pacer were both there we were hoping to see Col. Lapham,
but he was in New York."
It went on to describe Flying L as a "working ranch" with guest cottages,
and said that "Flying L has steady traffic."
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Flying L Ranch
as consisting of a 2,640' paved Runway 15/33 & a 2,400' gravel Runway 5/23.
It also included the note, "Caution: Emergency use only."
In the 1963 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse),
the runway configuration was described as being much the same,
with the remarks, "Runways reported in very poor condition - use at own risk."
A paved ramp was depicted east of the runway, with 3 hangars,
and the office & the Flying L Ranch Dining Room sat adjacent to the north side of the ramp.
The guest ranch buildings were west of the airfield.
The manager was listed as Lucy Lapham.
Nelson Amen recalled, “My parents & I made a trip there in the 1960s looking at the land for sale at the Flying L Ranch.
They were at the start of the 'land-for-sale' efforts & the fly-in convenience.”
By the time of the 1970 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Ray Brindle),
the primary runway remained unchanged,
but the crosswind gravel runway had been abandoned.
An undated photo of a Cessna 310 in front of the Flying L Ranch
from a circa 1973 brochure (courtesy of Ken Morris).
Ken recalled, “Dick Olivear was the shady promoter owner selling lots.”
An undated aerial view looking west at the Flying L Ranch taken from a Cessna 310 (note the wingtip tank in at the bottom)
from a circa 1973 brochure (courtesy of Ken Morris).
By the time of the 1985 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse),
the primary Runway 15/33 had been lengthened to 3,260'.
The 1985 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Steve Cruse)
depicted the Flying L Ranch as a public-use airport with a single 3,200' paved runway.
The Flying L Ranch Airfield was still active as of 1986,
as it was listed in the 1986 Flight Guide (according to Chris Kennedy).
Nelson Amem reported, “One of the locals told me the airport closed in the mid-1990s. Very sad.”
The Flying L Ranch airfield was evidently closed for reasons unknown by 1995.
In the 1995 USGS aerial photo, the center portion of the runway pavement had been removed,
but the north & south ends still remained intact,
as well as the ramp area & hangars.
The Flying L Ranch airfield is no longer depicted at all (even as an abandoned airfield) on 2002 aeronautical charts.
An August 2007 aerial view by Nelson Amen looking west at the site of the Flying L Ranch Airfield,
duplicating the perspective of the 1973 aerial photo.
Nelson observed, “The T-hangar roof is gone, and it now looks like a puzzle pattern of cinder blocks.
The 2 taxiways are gone, with the runway that used to be between them now a driving range.
Several of the trees have survived through the years & make excellent landmarks for the 40 years or so that have passed.
Most [of the former airport buildings] are still in place but now under alternate uses & in various stages of disrepair.”
The airfield site is located west of the intersection of Bottle Springs Road & Whispering Winds.
Thanks to Bret Kepner for pointing out this airfield.
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Purple Sage Ranch (50TX), Bandera, TX
29.75 North / 99.03 West (Northwest of San Antonio, TX)
The January 1949 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted 2 airfields in very close proximity to each other: "Pfeffer Ranch" & "Lost Valley".
One of these evidently eventually became the Purple Sage Ranch Airfield.
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
The date of construction of the Purple Sage Ranch airfield is unknown.
The earliest depiction of an airfield at this location
was on the January 1949 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted 2 airfields adjacent to each other: "Pfeffer Ranch" & "Lost Valley"
(each of which was described as having a 3,000' runway).
One of these evidently eventually became the Purple Sage Ranch Airfield.
The August 1954 World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described the Purple Sage Ranch Airfield as having a 3,800' runway.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described the Purple Sage Ranch Airfield
as having a 3,800' blacktop Runway 4/22,
and also included the note, "Caution: Emergency use only."
In the 1963 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse),
the runway configuration was described as being much the same.
A paved ramp was depicted west of the runway, along with several ranch buildings.
The manager was listed as Luther James, Continental Oil Co.
The 1982 USGS topo map depicted the Purple Sage Ranch as having a single paved runway.
The Purple Sage Ranch was still depicted as an active private airfield
on the 1985 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Steve Cruse).
The Purple Sage Ranch airfield was apparently closed at some point between 1985-95,
as the 1995 USGS aerial photo showed the runway marked with closed runway "X" symbols.
The airfield otherwise appeared to remain completely intact.
The Purple Sage Ranch airfield was still depicted as an abandoned airfield on 2002 aeronautical charts.
Chris Gaylord of ConocoPhillips reported the following in 2003:
"I just returned from a trip to the Ranch & actually walked the runway this morning.
The southern end has been shortened significantly from the diagram...
it now ends approximately even with the ranch buildings with just the northern edge of the ramp area still in existence.
The northern end appears to be as indicated on the diagram & aerial photo.
The field is definitely closed... I had a discussion about it with one of the Ranch employees earlier in the week.
The Ranch is owned by ConocoPhillips
and is used for company group meetings / training as well as a recreational facility for employees."
The airfield site is located at the northern terminus of Purple Sage Road, one mile north of Route 16.
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Art Stewart Airport / Standard Industries Airfield, San Antonio, TX
29.34 North / 98.66 West (Southwest of Downtown San Antonio, TX)
Art Stewart Airport, as depicted on the June 1972 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks).
Photo of the airport while in use has not been located.
The first airfield at this location was the Art Stewart Airport.
It was evidently established during 1971,
as no airfield was yet depicted at this location on the January 1971 San Antonio Sectional Chart (according to David Brooks).
The first depiction which has been located of Art Stewart Airport
was on the June 1971 San Antonio Sectional Chart (according to David Brooks).
The June 1972 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks)
depicted Stewart as a public-use airport with a single 4,600' paved northwest/southeast runway.
The status of Art Stewart Airport apparently changed to a private field at some point between 1972-76,
as the 1976 AOPA Airport Directory (according to David Brooks)
described the field as a private airport, closed to the public.
It was said to have a single 4,606' asphalt Runway 15/33.
Art Stewart Airport apparently was closed [for reasons unknown] at some point between 1976-80,
as it was depicted as an abandoned airfield on the June 1980 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks).
At some point between 1980-82, the site of the former Art Stewart Airport
was apparently reused by the Standard Oil Company for a private airfield.
The December 1982 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks)
depicted Standard as being a private airfield with a single 4,600' paved northwest/southeast runway.
Standard Industries Airfield was still open as late as 1989,
as was still depicted as an active airfield on the 1989 World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The 1991 USGS topo map depicted the single runway of the Standard Industries Airfield,
labeled simply as “Landing Strip”.
The last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located showing the Standard Airfield still operational
was on the 1995 San Antonio Sectional Chart (according to David Brooks).
The Standard Industries Airfield was evidently closed (for reasons unknown) during 1995.
Richard Storm reported, “In 1995 the San Antonio Prop Busters Radio Control Club
acquired the use of the northern 600' of the old runway for use as a radio-controlled model airplane airfield.
The property was owned by Waste Management Incorporated
and was leased to the SAPB for recreational use.
The runway was capped & the 'X' markers added as it was no longer suitable for full-scale [aircraft] use.
The structure along the southwest side of the runway is a large pole-type shade structure
for spectators & for working on the model aircraft.
There was a large concrete apron added as well as concrete taxiways & pilot stations.
The membership of SAPB invested a considerable amount of money & effort
in creating a premiere radio control flying site as initial information provided
led us to believe it would be 20 years before there was any need to develop the property for landfill use.
There was a large overflight area opposite the shade structure
which provided for a safe & expansive flying site.
Many nationally-advertised radio control events were held at the location.
The site was especially suited for 'Giant Scale' aircraft with wingspans up to 12 feet.
At peak we had over 200 members of the SAPB primarily because of this flying site.”
As of the 1995 USGS aerial photo,
the airfield consisted of a single 4,600' paved runway.
The newer 700' portion at the northern end had been added for radio-controlled model airplane operation.
The former airfield was labeled "Standard (Pvt) (Closed)" on the 1998 World Aeronautical Chart.
Richard Storm reported, “Starting in 2001, the landfill began encroaching on the [SAPB] flying site.”
A circa 2002 photo by Bob Severence (courtesy of Richard Storm),
of the radio-controlled aircraft shade building constructed on the west side of the former Standard Industries Airfield.
Richard noted, “From [this picture], you should get a good idea of the amount of work & investment
we put into the facility expecting 20+ years of use.
We actually got 5 good years,
5 spotty years where at times it was not even usable due to construction equipment parked along side the runway.
Now it is just a memory.”
According to Richard Storm, “In December of 2005 the [SAPB] lease was terminated.”
A circa 2001-2005 USGS aerial photo showed that the southern portion of the runway had been removed.
The more recent model-airplane runway portion still remained, as well as the small buildings alongside the ramp.
Richard Storm reported in 2006, “The entire area represented by the original Art Stewart Airport
is now just a hole in the ground to collect the refuse of modern society.
SAPB has moved on to a very modest grass field south of town
and continues to look for a location that would be anywhere near what we had at the abandoned airport.
Unfortunately, abandoned airports make great places for houses, schools & soccer fields
which carry much more economic incentive than maintaining open property suitable for aviation use, model or full-scale.”
The airfield is located north of the intersection of Reliable Drive & Nelson Road.
It is adjacent to the southwest side of the Lackland AFB property.
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Westside Executive Airport / Westside Airpark (T99), San Antonio, TX
29.39 North / 98.68 West (Southwest of Downtown San Antonio, TX)
Westside Executive, as depicted on the January 1970 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
The date of construction of this former general aviation airport is unknown,
but it was apparently built at some point between 1965-69,
as it was not depicted on the 1965 San Antonio Sectional Chart (according to William Suffa).
The earliest reference to Westside Airpark which has been located
is an NTSB report of a 1969 crash of a Piper PA-32 at the airport.
The earliest depiction of Westside which has been located
was on the January 1970 San Antonio Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Westside Executive as having a single 2,500' paved runway.
The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury) described the field as having a single 2,500' asphalt Runway 11/29.
The operator was listed as Westside Air Park, Inc.
The 1985 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse) depicted the field as having 2 runways:
a 2,400' asphalt Runway 11/29 & a 3,700' unpaved Runway 13/31.
A number of t-hangars were clustered around the west end of Runway 11/29,
and the airport also had an EAA clubhouse (the first building for EAA Chapter 35).
The airport manager was listed as Tony Crosby.
The Westside Airpark was evidently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1985-93,
as it was labeled merely "Landing Strips" on the 1993 USGS topo map.
The Westside Airpark was no longer depicted at all (even as an abandoned airfield) on the 1993 World Aeronautical Chart.
The Westside Airpark was definitely closed by 1995,
as a 1995 USGS aerial photo showed that the site had been abandoned.
A circa 2001 aerial photo showed that the pavement of the former Runway 11/29 was overgrown,
and the former grass runway was overgrown as well.
All of the former hangars & other buildings had been removed.
The majority of the former airport site has remained without any redevelopment,
but a large building (a school?) had been built over the northern end of the former Runway 13/31.
A newer (circa 2006) aerial view shows that all remains of the former Westside Airpark have been obliterated,
with the site having been covered at some point between 2001-2006 by housing.
The airfield site is located northwest of the intersection of Route 90 & Kriewald Road.
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Kelly Field #1 / Duncan Field, San Antonio, TX
29.38 North / 98.56 West (East of Kelly AFB, TX)
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
Kelly Field was established in 1917,
as one of the Air Corps' first aviation training centers.
The Army in established an aircraft repair depot at Kelly Field #1 in 1921.
The depot was expanded to become one of 4 Field Service Sections (Air Depots)
in the nation belonging to the AAF's Materials Division.
In the mid 1920s, Kelly Field #1 was renamed Duncan Field.
The original airfield configuration at Duncan Field is unknown.
Strangely, Duncan Field was not depicted at all on the 1934 San Antonio Sectional Chart.
The earliest depiction of Duncan Field which has been located
was on a 1940 General Highway Map of Bexar County (from the TX State Library, via Robert Thaler).
A pair of vintage pilot's wings from the San Antonio Air Depot's Duncan Field.
Duncan Field, as depicted on the September 1941 Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of David Brooks).
Duncan Field, as depicted on a 1941 map (courtesy of Robert Thaler).
According to the book "The Wings of Change" (courtesy of Steve Cruse),
in 1941 it was proposed by the Army that adjacent Kelly Field (to the west) be absorbed into Duncan Field,
with the combined facility being dedicated to aircraft maintenance & supply.
However, it was the opposite which actually occurred:
in early 1943 Duncan Field was absorbed into Kelly Field.
It is not known at what point flying operations ceased at Duncan Field.
Only Kelly AFB was depicted on the August 1954 Edward's Plateau World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Kelly AFB itself was closed in the 1990s,
and redeveloped for commercial purposes, becoming known as KellyUSA.
As seen in a circa 2006 aerial photo, the site of the former Duncan Field has been largely covered with buildings.
However, three former hangars still remain standing (center of photo),
and what appears to be a remnant of a northwest/southeast runway or taxiway (complete with circular turn-around pad)
extends to the northwest away from the hangars.
Note the KC-135s undergoing maintenance on the Kelly ramp on the left side of the photo.
A circa 2006 aerial view looking north at 3 former Duncan Field hangars.
Former Kelly employee Jesse Ramirez reported in 2007 that a former Duncan Field control tower also remains intact.
According to San Antonio native Robert Thaler,
"Duncan Field was located to the west of the railroad yards, and to the southeast of Duncan Drive.
The big maintenance building, #375, is located on what was once Duncan Field."
The Handbook of Texas Online has an entry describing Duncan Field.
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