Israel Putnam Airport, Pomfret, Connecticut

Israel Putnam Airport     

Putnam Patriot
June 2, 1932

     On June 26, 1930, it was announced in the Putnam Patriot that  Whitman Danielson, and Subbo Nikoloff, both of Putnam, and Mrs. F. W. Goodridge of Pomfret, had formed an association to establish the Putnam Airport Inc.  The airport would be located on the farm of John Larned, and would be known as the Israel Putnam Airport.  The area was ideal for an airport due to its high location.  This airport would exist separate and apart from an existing airfield known as Mantup Field, located in the Gary Section of Putnam.      

     The incorporation for the Putnam Airport began with a capital of $50,000, with $5,000 paid in. 

     In October of 1930, a Colonial Airlines plane had made an emergency landing at the field due to heavy fog conditions.   Not long afterwards, workers began clearing more of the land to expand the field to include a total of 85 to 90 acres.   

     By May of 1932 improvements had been made, but the field still lacked a hangar.  It was also in 1932 that the U. S. Postal Service took an interest in the airport as part of its developing air mail service.  

     In 1933 it was announced that the U. S. Government would take over the airport as part of a ten year lease, and make improvements that would turn it into a “first class airport”.  Construction began in late August/early September of that year.  Improvements included the erection of a large beacon tower. 

     By February of 1935 a radio station for aircraft communications had been established at the airport.   

     It is unknown when the Putnam Airport closed, but newspaper reports indicate that it remained in operation at least until the end of World War II.   

Putnam Patriot
July 13, 1933

Windham County Observer
September 25, 1935

     Sources:

     Putnam Patriot, “Putnam Airport Will Have 85 to 90 Acres”, October 23, 1930. 

     Putnam Patriot, “Government May Take Over Local Airport”, May 9, 1932.  

     Putnam Patriot, “Government To Supervise Airport”, September 21, 1933. 

     Windham County Observer, “Start Erection Of Beacon For Air-Line At Putnam”, November 1, 1933. 

     Windham County Observer, “Putnam Airport Radios Reports To Airplanes”, February 2, 1935.

 

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