“On the following pages, you will find information on vanished or abandoned airfields and their unusual histories,” foreshadows Abandoned and Little-Known Airfields on its home page.
On the Hunt for Diamonds in the Rough
Over the past 22 years, Paul Freeman has crowdsourced descriptions and images of (at present) 2,542 abandoned and little-known airfields, from all 50 states.
Key Takeaways:
- Paul Freeman created "Abandoned and Little-Known Airfields," a website that has crowdsourced information and images for over 2,500 defunct airfields across all 50 U.S. states since 1999.
- The project originated from Freeman's interest in the "abandoned airfield symbol" on FAA sectionals and serves to document the histories of forgotten aviation sites, relying heavily on contributions from the public.
- Many abandoned airfields, often found in warmer, populated states like Florida, California, and Texas, were closed due to urban development, exemplified by the story of Greater Southwest International Airport.
- Beyond historical preservation, the website aims to raise awareness about airport closures and encourages aviation enthusiasts to actively support and protect existing small airports from being lost.
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