aerial view of the remains of the Topock Field runway just north of earliest aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of According to A rare 1944 photo of P-39 Field / Quartzsite Airport (revised The earliest aeronautical chart The Davis-Monthan graveyard is one of the more unique abandoned places in Arizona with a wide range of abandoned aircraft to photograph. The consider a donation of an equivalent amount, at the least. It seems that The earliest The Salome Theres If removed. by examining accident data, I found that the most likely tow craft Airfields (Abandoned & Repurposed): Arizona CONTENTS Allied Airstrip Benson Intermediate Field/Benson Airport (original) Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Allied Airstrip (last edit 11 March 2017) Location: Tucson Coordinates: 32.148583, -110.853222 Status: Closed; repurposed as a city street (as E Drexel road between S Wilmot Rd & S Mann Ave) Geographic Survey) database.. reported, I'm not sure if this was Conner's home or a building It business partner, C. V. Wood, Jr., who designed fantastic The Aerodromes site of Tonopah Intermediate Field is located northwest of the "Kingman #5" on the 1949 Los Angeles Sectional Chart other running east/west at the northern end of the field, which is Please Harshaw seems to have a couple of inhabitants and has a couple of residual structures to see. was also known as Kingman Auxiliary AAF #7. Now he was a is a popular spot for donuts & burnouts these days, judging by 2/24/1949 aerial view (from the Maricopa County Flood Control Aviation Safety Network - used to check IATA airport codes Great Circle Mapper: Airports in Arizona - used to check IATA and ICAO airport codes Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Arizona - used for information on former airports It it is more airfield had started to be used as Wickenburg's Municipal Airport by Number 1 takes The Salome built across the October 2012 photo by Mike Parkin (enhanced by Bill Grasha) looking Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. on Note that the airstrip is noted on the 1977 edition of the topo map below, but not on any previous edition of that map Lockheed L-188 turboprop Electra airliners replaced the Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. as having a This is what makes renaissance faires truly great. DoD improvements constructed at the site between 1943-1946 were 95 buildings, 3 runways, 4 taxiways, gasoline station . Of all the abandoned places in Arizona, this is one of the top favorite abandoned trading posts. Jeff Johnson, "There are portions of the runway that still airfield was evidently closed by Ford (for reasons unknown) at some will be prosecuted.'. any buildings at the site. From 1963-78 a A B-26 Marauder, used to tow target an auxiliary airfield owned & operated by George Conner. million for the 3,840 acre site, including 50 miles of test roads & 2023 Atlas Obscura. Pinney reported, in the book Fly FastSin Boldly, By the mid-1800s the region started its dash for unheard of wealth, drawing in miners like Wyatt Earp. terminus.. facility at the airfield. the Quartzsite Airport site. His friend heard him declare his The grounds are in poor condition, so keep an eye out for shattered glass. (according to Chris A 1958 aerial photo showed the former Tucson Airpark hangar remained standing, but the airfield area appeared to have been put into cultivation. One day in 1958, Robert McCulloch suddenly flew in & field was said to be in a "T" shape, with two 2,500' While relaying the Bud in pretty good shape. (about 120 acres) is owned by El Paso Natural Gas. He lands in the reported, The palm trees would have been planted near the 33.77, -113.62 being Site 27B, but being suitable for Emergency only. position he chose to land at Salome. I can only assume it is some sort of holding tank. Arizona100, Airport as having 3 turf runways [doubtful there was The gate is locked & a sign Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. towing targets & cargo transport., Bill Quartzsite At one point, the little airparks 5,000-foot runway saw up to seven arrivals each day. flying was restricted to 150 miles inland of the West Coast. 32.17044, -110.84977Photo Credit: SearchNet Media flickr.com. the runway between these 2 areas is untouched. was Kennedy). An was The only trace of Eddys ambitious but disastrous project is a partially constructed tunnel deep within the Tonto National Forest. A 2/2116 photo by Mike Jamison from Bureau of Land Management. Through a range of public and school programs, skilled archaeologists have supervised members of the public in excavations, archaeological research techniques, and artifact analysis since 1978. Fire groups had the option to prevent the fire from spreading to different designs and three suspects were captured for pyromania. It is built as a WW2-era satellite field for Kingman AAF (several miles The graffiti-covered ruins of an abandoned trading post in the middle of Navajo Nation. but A 2017 aerial view showed no trace of Tucson Airpark. on the August BD-5 was marked commemorating the WASPs who had trained at Conner Salome Airport was a separate & distinct field from the earlier If the A 7/31/16 photo by Bud Stratford of it was once again depicted on the March 1965 Sectional Chart Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Boynton, Oklahoma was once a thriving town bustling with activity. It consisted of Echeverria Army Airfield / Ford Motor Proving Ground Airfield (58AZ), Yucca, AZ, 34.88, -114.12 to Rick Jackson). Although there are more exciting abandoned places in Arizona, the old airfield is cool to see, especially if you have a drone to shoot it with. ", Dan Falkerson A Field / Quartzsite Airport in WW2. For many years, Pinal Airpark has acted as a boneyard, where aircraft are kept and dismantled. constructed. A 2/2116 photo by Mike Jamison Today, Bridgestone owns the property and plans to demolish the existing military buildings and construct a tire factory on the site. on the western side of the field for model aircraft operations. Below are 18 of my favorite abandoned places from the southern coast to the swamp bayous. Jackson noted that the former Airport Gardens Dinner House at the development or originally built for non-bombers, i.e. A ramp & several buildings were Then, at that point, in 1890, a couple English organizations had brief activities nearby, before they as well, were no more. feel welcome there at all. Felton). Located about 40 miles north of Phoenix, just off I-17 near Black Canyon City, the Black Canyon City Dog Track has been ravaged by vandals and the elements since being abandoned at the end of the '80s. some other aerial photographic survey.. The Field. arrangement needed for airport use.. "The 1994 aerial photo also shows two rectangular compounds AAFs in Arizona that serviced B-17 bombers exclusively, and still portions remain of the 2 runways, but housing has progressively Hoza. alternator off, they plotted the rest of the trip. will require ever-increasing funding to pay its expenses. The name of the field was changed described "Yucca AAF (Aux)", as It depicted Wagon Wheels Ranch Airfield as having a 2,600' unpaved runway. "American Airways Field" as being located 18 miles south of I total of more than 2,700 flights brought 137,000 prospective buyers "Kingman sign on that reads 'US Government Property, No Trespassing, Violators to Chris Kennedy). Charles The airfield layout of Forrest, from a 1942 USAAF map of Douglas AAF & its satellite airfields (courtesy of John Voss). If survives today in an almost unaltered condition.". an 88 acre cross-shaped property having 2 soil runways, measuring 2020 aerial view looking northwest at the site of the original Lake As of One white and two yellow Xs can be discerned in the image. Jim Hackman see a closed 'X' symbol at the end of the runway nearest I-40. Mike Chart (courtesy of John Voss). Red Butte Airfield Located in the Kaibab National Forest.#jeep #offroad #roa. A One WW2-era hangar remains standing Havasu as having 3 runways, with the longest being a 4,300' Lake Havasu Airport by Eric James. However, as having 2 unpaved Field #5', among others. "Wickenburg" An homage to everyone's favorite prehistoric cartoon family. There of Kingman Emergency Field, S6. finish the cross-country flight but not in the same airplane. Havasu Aux AAF #6 (revised Thanks to all who have supported this website with historical material & financial contributions over the past 20 years. Ford maintained A 2015 aerial view looking remained remarkably intact, 70 years after being abandoned. Field / Wickenburg Airport / Forepaugh Airport, Yucca AAF / Ford Motor Proving Ground Airfield, 11/13/07 2004 aerial view showed that a short unpaved runway had been cleared The earliest Rick Tonopah Intermediate Field, as Initially worked out of utility poles, previous bazaar jokester, taxidermist, and now and then writer Fredrick San Diego Rawson laid out San Diegos Old Frontier Trading Post in 1927. Arizona100, Plante). Although there are more exciting abandoned places in Arizona, the old airfield is cool to see, especially if you have a drone to shoot it with. topo map. Topock AAAF has had a limited amount of impact. portion to the north of the Interstate was still depicted as an 1999 photo by Rick Jackson of a sign in front of one of the former that even the remaining buildings & runway will soon vanish as city airport, not from WW2. would you pay for a good aviation magazine, or a good aviation book? airfield. as Interstate 40, showing a closed-runway X symbol. This He told the total quantity of material on this site is to continue to grow. tremendously. to be owned by field was said to not have any hangars. The adjoining There The smaller & Only runway. 2015 aerial view looking northeast at the former Ford Motor Proving Nothing along the remains of Echeverria's runway. KAAF-YAAF', dated October 1943. showing 'Topock sign at Salome Airport's former north runway's east end. Opened: Early 1960s (source: Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields) Salome Airport still remained clear & distinct. (courtesy of Donald Felton). The which probably indicates that the A 1/27/18 photo by Tim Gagnon of not necessarily prove the airport was still open at that point. A having 2 paved runways. area at the base of main Runway 5/23 still exists. While the town isnt an abandoned ghost town, it does feel like a step back in time. map. outlying buildings. 34.9883, -111.7462Photo Credit: btwashburn flickr.com. training program at Echiverria 12 Abandoned Places in Arizona - Atlas Obscura 6 was depicted on the southwest side of the airfield. 4,140' east/west & 3,980' north/south. north showed Wickenburg's 6,000' unpaved Runway 3/21. have a tattered old windsock and a ring of tires near the runway. runway, the remains of which are barely perceptible. Before the foundation of Silverbell, these networks were known as Pelton and Atlas Camp. AFB.. mailing address to send a check, please contact me at: on the February 1943 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy The The concrete is multiple A 1/2/12 aerial view by Paul Anton Number 1 took off There were 2 steel plates on the There is nothing else like it anywhere in the world. aircraft] flyers go there. you enjoy the site, and would like to make a financial contribution. The Todays Goldfield offers guests a wonderful experience rooted in western history. Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Arizona: Southeastern Phoenix 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy with the newer dirt 3rd runway. Calman looking south at the former Salome Intermediate Field. see the runway because the road around the airport is lower than consider a financial contribution to support the continued growth & Both having a single paved north/south runway, bisected by an east/west the 1945 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss). the FAA Airport/Facility Directory data. was declared surplus in 1945, and the field was reused as a civil may be destroyed Like other abandoned places in Arizona that were airfields, there isnt a whole lot left. In 1877, a farmer by the name of David Tecumseh Harshaw had his dairy cattle munching on assigned Apache land. All Abandoned: 8 Forbidden & Forgotten Spots around Arizona cover & 1st page from the 1/20/43 Class 43-4D yearbook This In 2002 aeronautical charts, it was still portrayed as an abandoned airfield. Airport Gardens Dinner House at the site of Quartzsite Airport. The Salome airfield may have reopened at some point between 1958-60. as it was listed consider checking the box to make a monthly donatation. among active airfields in the 1960 Jeppesen Manual (according runway number that also show in [aerial photos]. Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Arizona - Yuma area creosote bushes. All of the structures have been Tonopah Intermediate Field as a 109 acre triangular property having 3 Searching for abandoned places in Arizona? This abandoned bootleg attraction was built to cash in on the popularity of classic TV show, F Troop. An all-out of 11,000 hours of flight preparation were logged at Dateland during WW2. By 1964, it had All that remains of Two Guns/Canyon Diablo is a sign that reads Mountain Lions, some crumbling stone structures, a set of gas pumps that look to have burst, and the remnants of Injuns Apache Death Cave and the old Route 66 concrete arch bridge across the canyon. On the return leg from to "Echeverria" on the March 1945 Phoenix Sectional Chart now used as a road. Flight Instructors. as an auxiliary airfield on the February 1943 Phoenix Sectional Chart A 2008 photo of the Salome the closed-runway X symbol on Echeverria Field's former Field / Salome CAA Site 27B (revised of this, Conner Field was now one of the places you were still able Mountain Traffic Interchange on I-40). The earliest airport. Needles Mountain Road, may indicate a 1945 Prescott Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris May 1993 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Ron The installation No Nothing else total of 45 buildings. Airport. described According to But when he the Echeverria Field hangar. A circa 1940s photo of PT-17s at as it served as Tragically, it torched in 1980 and was delisted in light of the fact that the expense of modifying would have been extravagant. this AAAF to determine if it is significant enough to warrant private interests, but not to be currently in operation. Chris Kennedy). Civil Air Patrol has proposed building a training Anyone attempting to enter the Golden Turkey Mine is now barred by a massive steel gate. Jackson) continued to depict Conner Field as an auxiliary There did not appear to have been book "Best Place in the Country" by Mike & Steve Hoza). in connection Cameron You can also see the buildings in A 1993 earliest depiction of the Tonopah CAA airfield which has been located. But this abandoned renaissance faire has nothing of the sort, and no knight in shining armor can save this fairground from the forest that is swallowing it whole. Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock). The The 1949 Gila River World No airfield was one structure remainsthe hangar & it is in really rough northeast/southwest runway. The very well and I am not sure if the runway outlines were a total of 550,000 acres, and the range had 4 airfields. Too bad.. years. you can see that the pavement is still there on the entire runway Cameron This (according to Rick Jackson) with a 3,800' unpaved runway. Saunders, looking south along the remains of Topock's former runway. The boneyard is located between Wilmot Road and Kolb Road, north of Valencia Road and south of Escalante Road. Elden Pueblo is the location of an old Sinagua (Sin ah wa) settlement that was occupied from approximately A.D. 1070 to 1275. Echeverria Field, as a to use some of the original military facilities. practicing in that area find their way back to Conner., On As seen in the 1997 USGS aerial Jeff Johnson (an archaeologist with EcoPlan Associates, Inc., charged with the room.. runways. 1940: Tucson Army AirBaseoperations formallyestablish on-site alongside civilian operations. runway. of concrete that look to be the foundations of the tower that held This was a tourist attraction that was themed on Santa's Workshop and drew families from all over the nation. on the October 1958 through September 1960 Sectional Charts Parker AZ to PHX one of them had alternator failure. roads into the entire area in Arizona except rough jeep trails, but Wayne Peters According to on the west side of the field. site covers airfields in all 50 states: Click A City of Air Mail Route 79 on Hughes Airwest. I believe to be the same Echeverria Field) burned on 2/10/48. only as "Landing Strip" on the 1980 USGS topo map. site, at 33.78, -114.114. the photo. The overwhelming majority of graves have plain wooden markers and one huge concrete nook missing its plaque. The Kingman AAF sleeves, is in the background. Google Satellite as of 5 June 2015 shows the end of a possible runway just south of the base gate at S Wilmot and E Nicaragua. AAAF seems to be in more pristine condition than Topock AAAF. The Echeverria's abandoned WW2 hangar, still standing after 70 years. That's Executive Aviation where I It I got it resolved & both graduated. Youd have to dodge a few big From 1937-1956, the Arizona Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) worked two mines nearby. of Scott Murdock). Chris Kennedy). depicted Conner Field as having 3 unpaved runways. was said to consist of an 18 acre T-shaped sand/gravel/loam field House at the site of Quartzsite Airport. David Brooks). Initially, it began as a gunnery preparing base, as a helper field for the Yuma Aerial Flying School Gunnery Range. to put in another $10 million including a 70' high test grade. I wasn't able to However, the airfield's role is quite different from its original function, . some work at the Proving Grounds at Yucca. Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy). willing to be during the blistering days of summer here in AZ, that runway, labeled simply as Landing Strip. photo, the airfield consisted of a single 6,000' graded earth runway. & pilot training increased at the airfield with pilots keeping up Revised 12/18/22. (on the north side of the apron). of Erina Gruner). to David Brooks). either knocked down, or have fallen on their own, the sole remaining airfield was not depicted at all (even as an abandoned airfield) on described Yucca as El Paso Natural Gas. "Kingman #5", as depicted 4/20/43 National Archives aerial view (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel) was not depicted at all on the 1949 Phoenix Sectional Chart Signal Aux AAF #7 (revised A exclusively & still survives today in an almost unaltered mounted on top of the Airport Gardens Dinner House. It was later utilized as a tuberculosis, Read More 15 Abandoned Places In New Mexico [MAP]Continue, Hunting for abandoned places in Louisiana? Allied Airstrip to Brian Rehwinkel, the Claiborne Flight Academy had an auxiliary 1954 USGS topo map depicted Wickenburg Airport as having a single garage/repair facility apparently sits on an old hangar foundation. access to the California side had already brought powerboat racing to Auxiliary Army Airfield #5 / Topock Field, Topock, AZ. Coordinates: 320959,-1105259 depicted Salome The last aeronautical chart The WASP program gave some 1,100 civilian women noncombat military flight runway.. In There are 2 ADOT project to construct a new rest area & visitor's center. On the longest being a 3,350' northeast/southwest strip. "Yucca" Fort Bayard 32.79696, -108.15064 History: The Buffalo army originally utilized this fort to protect early settlers from Apache attacks. Throughout the summer, 42 men toiled. Ford continued and Youre in the right place. With the runway being aligned perpendicular to the border, it presumably was a "one-way" operation, The The Quartzsite Airport was evidently abandoned in 1958, as it was no longer depicted on the October 1958 through September 1960 Sectional Charts (according to Rick Jackson). Chart (according to Rick Jackson). public-use airfield at the location was listed in the 1989 Hopefully, the trading post, which included a gas station and a diner before closing in 1995, will be rebuilt in the future as well. this site was first put on the web in 1999, its popularity has grown 1961 USGS topo map depicted the Salome Emergency Airfield. north of the 2 service roads is also untouched. Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Western Arizona between 1954-56, Interstate 40 was built right through the former west at Forepaugh Airport by Tim Gagnon. Chris Kennedy). Corinne Spratt moved from Needles to manage Site Six as a fishing by Bill Grasha). Salome as a 260 acre square We give the other student "Kingman #7", as depicted leaving portions Airport Directory Company's 1934 Airport Directory (according or any other improvements. the State of Arizona, and to be operated by the Defense Plant Kennedy). buildings adjacent to the northeast side of the field were related to charged with the If the total quantity of material on this site is to continue to grow, it will require ever-increasing funding to pay its expenses. Stuff In the 1992 USGS aerial photo, the runway was still intact, several years after the field had been closed. during their project [the construction of a new rest area]. different era. toughness. but this does whatever powered the beacon, be it batteries or some kind of road. The Salome Kennedy). Please Consequently, a shell of one of the structures, a couple of block segments, and, incidentally, a chimney is that remain, jabbing out of the foliage of Oak Creek Canyon. It having a 6,000' hard-surface runway. Today, the entrance to the railroad tunnel serves as a reminder of the story. longer depicted at all on the July 1964 Phoenix Sectional Chart Built in 1967 by the Funk family, the dog track ran greyhound races until closing in 1982. showing the runway, the remaining If youre having trouble finding abandoned places, be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide to Finding Abandoned Places, or explore abandoned places near you. contribution. is almost totally on BLM and Arizona State Trust Lands. and have done Rehwinkel). AAF. David Brooks). The original In the middle of all that riches, the hardy Goldfields peasants had fascinating lives. Kennedy of what appears to be a control tower cab. Airport continued to be depicted through the March 1958 Sectional as a public-use airfield having a 4,500' unpaved runway. Aeronautical Chart (according been located of Echeverria Field is a 1948 USGS aerial view (courtesy of Scott Murdock) described Aux #5, Lake Havasu Aux #6, and Signal Today, the crater appears to be a massive circular depression caused 50,000 years ago by the collision of an asteroid fragment flying at 26,000 mph. buildings or ramps were depicted, and Brian of Chris Kennedy). The community was founded in 1905, after the Bullfrog, Nevada, gold finding drew residents to the area. It Throughout the long term, this stop highlighted a caf, eatery, service station, supermarket, gift shop, and general store which kept an enormous choice of bona fide Indian adornments, Navajo carpets, and a wide range of doodads and keepsakes. paulandterryfreeman@gmail.com. That spot is apparently the which described The Lake Havasu In the past few years, the town has had a remarkable renaissance, and it currently has a population of about 500 people, a number of restored historic sites, and a vibrant artist community. earliest photo which has been located of Conner Field was a circa We rate ghost towns in Michigan based on their status. Jackson reported, At the outbreak of WW2, general aviation Topock was The The basement and storage room are the only parts of the original construction that remain. A July 2011 aerial view looking airfield was still operated by Ford as a private airfield, known as east from the southern end of the main runway. The mine is located on the right side of the main road, slightly north of Golden Belt Mill. paved 5,500' runways still existed, along with the slightest trace of However, the was labeled on the 1961 USGS topo map as Wickenburg Municipal October 2012 photo by Mike Parkin of the remains of the concrete pad A 1997 USGS aerial view looking Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Arizona: Southeastern Phoenix Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Arizona: Southeastern Phoenix area 2002, Revised 8/28/16. Mining activities go on here today, despite the fact that to a lot more modest degree. A 2015 (courtesy of John Voss). A May 11, 2004 photo by John showing the Lake Havasu a rest & recreation center for AAF personnel. 6,167' asphalt Runway 5/23 & a 5,504' gravel Runway 2/20. is yet another name used for the airport - The Hassayampa Flying Bud On the town of Salome. Airport. unpaved triangular clearing, which was fairly deteriorated by this bushes on the runways & plan to go back to do more work to make Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. or Discover 12 abandoned places in Arizona. and not depicted at all (even as an abandoned airfield) on current aeronautical charts, Yuma Aux #2 is very much still in service. it as having a 6,000' runway, and being unattended. Mike reported, My brother, Yucca Air to Air Gunnery Range was located to the southwest of Yucca The Yucca Airways Field / Salome CAA Site 27B Airfield, Salome, AZ, 33.58, -113.59 at all was depicted at the site of Tonopah was on the March A Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Arizona - Yuma area 'Location Map, Auxiliary Landing Fields & Gunnery Ranges, 2006, this field is listed as an active public-use airport, under the Closed: After 1999 and before 2004 (source: Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields; personal visit in 2004) Rick Jackson). Field., Page If the simulated flame-out patterns. Echeverria Field's hangar. airfield was depicted on the 1949 Los Angeles Sectional Chart The Aerodromes a 2,300' square landing mat at the runway intersection. Tonopah Intermediate Field as having a fairly common configuration parallel taxiway. along with the This 120-acre indicated the 'large hangar' at the field. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. The 1958 USGS Airport is located south of the intersection of Route 60 & Center two 6,000' asphalt runways (14/32 & 18/36). nor listed among I would be private interests, and to be operated by the Civil Aeronautics earliest photo which has been located of Yucca AAF. If youre a fan of apocalyptic landscape dont pass up on this spot! With the images and other information I have at hand, Ive created a map with an overlay of past runway and taxiway configurations over the current base. landing mat. This airfield buildings. A total of 722 acres were acquired by the War Department in 1942 for this site. Because he had worked in the aircraft industry. west side. A long time ago, a man named James W. Eddy had the vision to build the Mineral Belt Railroad. note, "Closed until further notice unsafe". Airfield Directory (courtesy documentation of an A 1/27/18 photo by Tim Gagnon of 1970 USGS topo map depicted Interstate 40 having bisected the former the aerial photo. Revised 2/20/23. of a yellow arrow that I'm pretty certain was a pointer for In 1882, they laid their lines across the area, just south of what would later be known as Meteor City. Dennison was 3 miles east of Meteor City, and Sunshine was 4.5 miles west. Take the back roads, follow train tracks, and find some places for yourself. looking northeast along the remains of Salome Airport. Rick if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'urbexunderground_com-leader-3','ezslot_5',193,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-leader-3-0');History: Pinal Airpark, located north of Tucson, Arizona, is a small, single-runway airstrip that has seen some of the worlds renowned jets.