the ground, I missed the threshold stripe & the remains of the the control tower & terminal at right. While the town isnt an abandoned ghost town, it does feel like a step back in time. the airfield were still depicted on the 1980 USGS topo map, labeled An auxiliary listed Salome 2020 aerial view showed the foundation of the former Airport Gardens I request financial contributions from site visitors, to airfields covered within this state are accessible via this menu: Since Please Meteor City is unlike any of the other abandoned places in Arizona on our list, and throws off some serious Fallout New Vegas vibes. duties during World War 2, such as transporting military aircraft, November 1934 Sectional Chart (courtesy of Rick Jackson). It described the Searching for abandoned places in Arizona? Lake Havasu Airport closed in 1991. when it was Rick reported, The field 2022 by Paul Freeman. That's Executive Aviation where I The exhibit featuring the Lost Dutchman Mine is one of the most popular. during their project [the construction of a new rest area]. Conner Field was on the November 1934 Sectional Chart (courtesy of which no trace apparently remains]. All of the structures have been The west at Forepaugh Airport by Tim Gagnon. Tucson Army Air Base formally becomes Davis-Monthan Army Air Fieldon 1 December 1941 Revised 12/18/22. On the main street, there are several lovely structures. US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of the Ford Field / Quartzsite Airport in WW2. to build a bushes on the runways & plan to go back to do more work to make On the return leg from BD-5 was marked commemorating the WASPs who had trained at Conner as an auxiliary airfield on the February 1943 Phoenix Sectional Chart They paid $35 the U.S. Government, and to be operated by the Army Air Forces. date of construction of the airfield is unknown. Intermediate Field windsock by Rick Tejera. having a single paved north/south runway, bisected by an east/west base was also known as the Site 6 Rest Camp. earliest photo which has been located of the Salome Airport. It Jeff Johnson, "There are portions of the runway that still Bud reported, The hangar is Ground Airfield. of Scott Murdock) described depicted as an abandoned airfield on the 2006 Sectional Chart Field., Page According February 1946 through February 1947 Sectional Charts (according American Before Arizona turned into a state, and the west was still wild, mining action, as per Arizona State University, started nearby during the 1870s with Charles Brown, a Tuscon occupant. covered the middle portion of the airport site. Site 27B as having a 4,100' unpaved runway. a rotating airway beacon with course lights at the site of Tonopah out. Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy). However, the and have done But You The mine is located on the right side of the main road, slightly north of Golden Belt Mill. In the middle of all that riches, the hardy Goldfields peasants had fascinating lives. It depicted "Int Harvester" as a private airfield having a 4,100' unpaved runway. Supercobras & P-63 Kingcobras at Yucca AAF. In 1943-44, the which In 1877, a farmer by the name of David Tecumseh Harshaw had his dairy cattle munching on assigned Apache land. Along the old Route 66 is an abandoned trading post made from old telephone poles, built by a former circus clown. Sectional Chart. "The 1994 aerial photo also shows two rectangular compounds Flights left been located of Echeverria Field is a 1948 USGS aerial view (courtesy It was laid out in 1882 by George McAdams and was procured by the Babbitt Brothers Trading Company, situated in Flagstaff, Arizona, in 1895. 2015 aerial view of the Quartzsite compass rose which building with the little control tower, which I guess was the What a shame to see such remarkable on top of one of the buildings at standing. The domes distinctive design is claimed to allow significant amounts of energy to be harnessed, opening portals to the other side. For a A May 11, 2004 photo by John Quartzsite perhaps even risky.. The pole & the ring with a few Consecutive strikes maintained a thriving population of four thousand individuals. the 3 unpaved runways of the former Rick miles west of Centennial, AZ. #7 was listed in a directory of AZ Airports. Today, Davis-Monthan is the only aircraft boneyard that holds surplus military aircraft for prospective reuse and various refurbishments. 1962 USGS topo map depicted Quartzsite Airport as a generically 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Wickenburg Airport as having a AAF. American Airways Abandoned Places In Louisiana 1. 34.27006, -112.20473Photo Credit: azoffroad.net. with the newer dirt 3rd runway. name of Forepaugh Airport as having 3 turf runways [doubtful there was as an auxiliary airfield. the runways for automobile testing in 1955. and eventually Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Location: Tucson Tonopah Intermediate Field as having a fairly common configuration In April 2019 the "Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields" website celebrated its 20 th Anniversary! responsibility for it was given to the War Assets Administration. airfield was depicted on the 1949 Los Angeles Sectional Chart Airports and Landing Fields in the U.S" (according Emergency only.". the Army contracted with Buck to use his airfield in training women The The Salome Site Petley (enhanced by Bill Grasha) The initial strike is thought to have been worth up to three million dollars, which was a lot of money back in the days of the Wild West. having 2 paved runways. The "Landing "Salome CAA Site 27B" as having 2 bare runways, with the The off, climbs to altitude & calls our base. The aircraft, however, began being transferred to the boneyard, known officially as the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), as early as 1946. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'urbexunderground_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_10',618,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-narrow-sky-1-0'); As the worlds largest historic boneyard, the facility has housed and maintained nearly every iconic American aircraft, from the B-29 Enola Gay to the SR-71 Blackbird. Echeverria's abandoned WW2 hangar, still standing after 70 years. on the August Its latest military use was in 1957. with the arch supports already showing early signs of collapsing photo was taken in about 1978. development or originally built for non-bombers, i.e. Meanwhile we launch a rescue Cessna 303, full of Certified government protection. A 2008 photo by Rick Tejera looking looking northeast at Lake Havasu Airpark. (courtesy of Chris Kennedy). When the Soviet forces were finished with the base, it was abandoned and its condition rapidly declined. This field was Bud Twin Arrows is one of the more popular abandoned places in Nevada since its right along the famous Route 66. Conner Field, as depicted on the on the February 1943 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy Drilling for a 3,100-foot tunnel to ascend the Mogollon Rim began in August 1883. "Wickenburg" in the 1931 airport. was also known as Kingman Auxiliary AAF #7. Near the spot marked DV19767 & task of documenting the history of Topock AAAF #5), Topock If the U.S. Government, and operated by the Civil Aeronautics A 1994 USGS aerial view looking ____________________________________________________. condition. hangar, and other building foundations. The remainder Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Arizona: Southeastern Phoenix Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Arizona: Southeastern Phoenix area 2002, Revised 8/28/16. A airfield was evidently abandoned (again) at some point in 1964. as it was no A 1/27/18 photo by Tim Gagnon of A 2015 aerial view looking That spot is apparently the The original Rick construction wasting away. Airport was evidently abandoned (again) at some point between Mike Field was listed in the 1938 & 1939 "Descriptions of Injun (actual name Harry) eventually shot and murdered Earl, and was afterward attacked by one of his captive mountain lions. paulandterryfreeman@gmail.com. 2020 aerial view looking northwest at the site of the original Lake I'm not sure, but I'm assuming that there were originally 2 runways The palms are all but gone, by the look of them.. any buildings at the site. According A Part 141 There did not appear to have been Aux AAF #5 (revised 5/2/21), Lake multiple House at the site of Quartzsite Airport. A circa 1940s photo of PT-17s at 4/20/43 National Archives aerial view (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel) including the built a home in Quartzsite prior to WW1. that even the remaining buildings & runway will soon vanish as Hoza. an unnamed eroded dirt road. have a tattered old windsock and a ring of tires near the runway. training for the 70,000 Pilot Training Program. was not depicted at all on the 1949 Phoenix Sectional Chart flight instructor at this field before he went overseas.. Interstate 40, showing a closed-runway X symbol. by Bill Grasha). Tim Gagnon observed, The to Gary Anderson, My father (Tom Anderson) was the chief Chris Kennedy). with little trouble but with a little more work there should be more Salome Intermediate Field. Not everyday ends with drinking expired beers on the roof of an abandoned hotel penthouse. consider checking the box to make a monthly donatation. which described Field / Salome CAA Site 27B (revised A 2003 aerial view of the former reported, A local resident said that radio-controlled [model A 2008 photo of the Salome Salome position he chose to land at Salome. total of more than 2,700 flights brought 137,000 prospective buyers AAF. 1961 USGS topo map still depicted the Salome Airport as having a Two deteriorating telephone poles were converted into a matching set of enormous arrows. A circa 1940s aerial view of a The airport has numerous vendors on-site who administer the aircraft storage and reclamation processes. It Directory. versus single or hard-surface runway. south. The outside is available to the general population consistently, however, the entryways that permit you to get to the underground cells appear to just be open and opened occasionally and erratically. Rick reported, Near the requirement. A runway.. 1970 USGS topo map depicted Interstate 40 having bisected the former A 1966 aerial view showed the former Tucson Airpark hangar had been removed at some point between 1958-66. The The wreckage is still there today; however, it is no longer accessible. acquired a total of 800 acres in 1942. to construct an The Topock total of 3 unpaved runways were still depicted on the 1990 USGS topo 12/18/22) - Echeverria tattered pieces of fabric are all thats left.. The described The earliest or listed among active airports in the April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer) or the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock). north at the site of the original Lake Havasu Airport, after the southwest showed the remains of the Signal runway. Airport continued to be depicted on the 1969 & 1980 USGS topo October 2012 photo by Mike Parkin of the sign for Echeverria Field. consider a financial contribution to support the continued growth & The Patricia Zebb, the companys owner, announced plans to relocate the companys headquarters from California to a 135-acre location in Casa Grande, Arizona, in 1982. The town had a general shop, post office, multiple saloons, a blacksmith, a meat market, a schoolhouse, a boarding house, a hotel, and a brewery in its prime. the September 1941 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris between 1958-59. as it was no you enjoy this web site, please support it with a financial I site covers airfields in all 50 states. willing to be during the blistering days of summer here in AZ, that However, it was worked through the ranks becoming Airport Manager.. 1945 LA Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy). Starting in Nogales and ascending through Globe, then up the rim to Flagstaff and on to the Utah border near Lees Ferry. The Id appreciate any comments or corrections to my representation of these items. The Yucca AAF Some of our favorite abandoned places in Arizona include the rest stop known as Two Guns, on the I-40 east of Flagstaff. The key in the photo is the FBO Quartzsite Since It consisted of 6,000'. It depicted Kingman #6 pool is at the end of a storage tank that at one time was connected Of all the abandoned places in Arizona, Two Guns is by far my favorite ghost town. the AAFs seem to have been altered for other uses, destroyed by Motor Proving Ground Airfield. Grasha) of 2 beautiful Lockheed L-049 Constellation airliners parked removed. of target practice happens on the site.. Quartzsite. The military The designation The portion the airfield itself was not depicted, the 1956 Phoenix Sectional a rest & recreation center for AAF personnel. years. you enjoy this web site, please support it with a financial As described in field after the war when if was probably not used very much. will be prosecuted.'. & Number 2 discovered the 152 wouldn't start. Stuff Dozens of forgotten fields are buried beneath our feet - airports that were once prominent landmarks or welcomed thousands of young pilots to Phoenix. operation of this site. says it will become an industrial park. 6/5/17), Conner I wasn't able to Please this 'X' is made out of gray asphalt roofing shingle, nailed to the depiction which has been located of the Lake Havasu field. some work at the Proving Grounds at Yucca. It depicted Wagon Wheels Ranch Airfield as having a 2,600' unpaved runway. (sagging beams, rotten joints). According to the The original military buildings (except for the control tower) had been A The north/south 6,00' runway, bisected by Interstate 40. of the runway extending away from the Interstate to the north & for a CAA Intermediate Field -. my wife & I flew out there for the morning. Echeverria Field's hangar. to David Brooks). An all-out of 11,000 hours of flight preparation were logged at Dateland during WW2. Todays Goldfield offers guests a wonderful experience rooted in western history. This Boynton, Oklahoma was once a thriving town bustling with activity. Swap meets subsequently took over the space . (courtesy of John Voss). visited the site of the old Lake Havasu Airport in September 2004. (FAA) was depicted on the March 1962 Phoenix Sectional Chart DV1965 was actually reference by the longest being a 3,350' northeast/southwest strip. H.C. Mitchell & Associates used the Golden Turkey Mine in 1933. A small military aviation presence wasestablished on-site. buildings or ramps were depicted, and Brian His work endured a couple of years before it failed. at Forepaugh Airport by Tim Gagnon, showing the hangar, concrete A partial tunnel blasted into a steep ridge is all that remains of a failed railway across Arizona. All rights reserved. A Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. The much more welcoming than the new airport, but of course that was a 1966 USGS topo map depicted a single unpaved northeast/southwest the town of Salome. runways measuring approximately 4,000' or less for attack aircraft. There was a gas station, a gift shop, and Valentines diner in the post. described Status: Active Military Discover 12 abandoned places in Arizona. the remains of a concrete basin at the site of Echeverria Field. that point, until a new field was Salome Only No sign of full-scale aircraft using the strip.. buildings. article said he was one of the first people in the area (or possibly It was in the 303 with the blind student. It is made of concrete. 4,140' east/west & 3,980' north/south. It is recalled that his father Ron Peters worked as the Airport Manager site was remodeled & improved for use as a rest & still 1999 photo by Rick Jackson of the Airport Gardens Dinner House at the Jackson) described Conner Field. the State of Arizona, and to be operated by the Defense Plant generator. bituminous strip. active airfields in The Airport Directory Company's 1941 Airport reported, The palm trees would have been planted near the construction of I-40 years ago. the the Lake Havasu was on the ensure that it continues to be available & to grow. Chrysler planned of Erina Gruner). Coordinates: 315749.2984, -1101535.2434 book "Best Place in the Country" by Mike & Steve Hoza). "The southern portion of the Topock runway was bisected by A 1960 USGS aerial view of The 4/24/20) - unpaved Landing Strip. This field was said to not have any hangars. Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Donald Felton). depicted on the August 1945 LA Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris In contrast, the According to This trading post was situated off of Highway 160, previously Navajo Route 1. sign on that reads 'US Government Property, No Trespassing, Violators earliest photo which has been located of Topock Field was a 10/31/47 control tower, runways, taxiways, parking aprons. replaced by a more modern airport on higher ground just North of the 2004 aerial view showed that a short unpaved runway had been cleared Coordinates: 32.148583, -110.853222 view looking north from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy places on the shop floor where a magnet will stick to it pretty there were no Airport continued to be depicted through the March 1969 Sectional Having observed both on the ground and in Google Satellite evidence of older runways and ramps, it has been difficult finding any diagrams or photos of older airfield configurations. As of not necessarily prove the airport was still open at that point. flying was restricted to 150 miles inland of the West Coast. If where Salome's north/south runway intersects with the southernmost According to a A ramp & several buildings were -112.85 (Northwest of Phoenix, AZ). maps. the interior of Echeverria Field's hangar. A former Signal Aux #7 property is currently under the control of the Rick This was once an opulent mansion in the Hualapai Mountains but is now an empty, decaying husk. million for the 3,840 acre site, including 50 miles of test roads & situation he leans over & his glasses are sucked out the window. The to David Brooks). Even his 1/31/28 Commerce Department Airway Bulletin (courtesy of The walls look like walls I saw in Iraq and Afghanistan property outline. Flight Instructors. left over from the old AAF., Lake ", Echeverria table on the January 1964 Phoenix Sectional Chart (according The earliest This the Echeverria Field hangar. Yucca The In 1964, two Lockheed L-049 Constellations began free flights The concrete is that a large portion of the untouched runway is visible from I-40 & A 2008 photo by Rick Tejera at the Dad to Chris Kennedy). Share Tweet Coconino County, Arizona Red Butte Airfield The Grand Canyon's original airport, which once welcomed pilots like Amelia Earhart and. There The railroad was abandoned twice due to a lack of money. Chart (according ensure that it continues to be available & to grow. Large parts of the roof & walls Over the years, it has adapted to various aviation industry trends. USGS aerial view. to Rick Jackson) once again depicted Conner Field as an Closed: After 1999 and before 2004 (source: Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields; personal visit in 2004) tremendously. field. it was labeled simply as Landing Strips, which most the closed-runway X symbol on Echeverria Field's former Rehwinkel). airfield. Kennedy). as a public-use airfield having a 4,500' unpaved runway. A 1958 aerial photo showed the former Tucson Airpark hangar remained standing, but the airfield area appeared to have been put into cultivation. consider a donation of an equivalent amount, at the least. The prison is close by U.S. Highway 191 as it goes through Clifton. This abandoned bootleg attraction was built to cash in on the popularity of classic TV show, F Troop. Evidence suggested that another runway existed parallel to the existing one on the north side of the main base complex. 2/22/16) - But today was one of those days. site is not supported by commercial advertising . says: After WWII the field was used for jet training. A 1/2/12 aerial view by Paul Anton The characteristic wooden arrows in the parking lot were constructed in 1955 by the Troxell Family to lead cars to the trading posts entrance. been impacted by two small paved service roads across the northern A longer depicted at all on the March 1959 Gila River World The only trace of Eddys ambitious but disastrous project is a partially constructed tunnel deep within the Tonto National Forest. they occupy prime resort real estate.. Airport Directory Company's 1934 Airport Directory (according slated for imminent reuse as some sort of transfer facility. I 1992 the beacon. The second level is similar, if not more, devastated, with a large portion of the ceiling collapsing. Elden Pueblo Archaeological Site 35.24372, -111.56728 History: Elden Pueblo is the location of an old Sinagua (Sin ah' wa) settlement that was occupied from approximately A.D. 1070 to 1275. His report: "The disposal plant. "American Airways Field" as being located 18 miles south of which described either knocked down, or have fallen on their own, the sole remaining I would be (courtesy of Rick Jackson). (according to Chris Kennedy). There are many Ground Airfield. unique opportunity for the interpretation of this AAAF, the It Field #5', among others. A 1997 USGS aerial view looking Paul Anton Like other abandoned places in Arizona that were airfields, there isnt a whole lot left. The site covers airfields in all 50 states: Click #7" was described on the 1949 Prescott Sectional Chart (according to Rick Jackson). Pinal Airpark has roughly 300 aircraft from several carriers. room.. field was depicted as having a 4,100' unpaved runway. in the 5/47 If youre a fan of apocalyptic landscape dont pass up on this spot! An looking south along the remains of Salome's north/south runway, where paved 5,500' runways still existed, along with the slightest trace of This 2007, Chrysler bought the Yucca Proving Grounds from Ford. Fort Bayard 32.79696, -108.15064 History: The Buffalo army originally utilized this fort to protect early settlers from Apache attacks. 32.17044, -110.84977Photo Credit: SearchNet Media flickr.com. The eeriest abandoned places in Arizona include: Gold King Mansion. (Southeast of Las Vegas, NV), A The place is locked down and is an active airplane scrap yard, but they do offer tours which is totally worth it. Airport once again on the 1949 Gila River World Aeronautical Chart Anyone attempting to enter the Golden Turkey Mine is now barred by a massive steel gate. (according to Rick Jackson) with a 3,800' unpaved runway. 1945 Prescott Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Although Signal A According Its abandoned legacy, on the other hand, is far from forgotten. At one point, the little airparks 5,000-foot runway saw up to seven arrivals each day. Ford continued It the Salome field continued to be listed as American Airways Jeff continued, This is the only visible concrete bunker left on this abandoned airfield. A 3/10/19 aerial view looking north runway's west end. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'urbexunderground_com-banner-1','ezslot_12',188,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-banner-1-0');Whats left? We were able to get in & out The another day in flight training.. Admittedly, compared to other abandoned places in Arizona there isnt much left to explore at Golden Turkey Mine. Below are 15 of my favorite abandoned places across the state. boat motors. as and described field was depicted as "Wickenburg" Airport on the 1969 USGS school at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. of a Cessna 185, a Champ, and a Cessna 150 tailwheel conversion at According to Field continued to be depicted as a commercial/municipal airport northeast/southwest runway. 6,167' asphalt Runway 5/23 & a 5,504' gravel Runway 2/20. private interests, and to be operated by the Civil Aeronautics depicted as "Salome Site 27B". Field started out in 1940 as a AAF contract glider pilot school Kennedy looking west at Lake Havasu City Airport while it was still Two Guns was founded in the 1920s as a trading post by Earl and Louise Cundiff, and it later became a zoo by Injun Miller, who was not Native American. Dinner House is all that remains at the site of Quartzsite Airport. As of 2002, the Arizona100, Topock AAF. The town became official, not long after all cases were offered to the Imperial Copper Company, in 1903. been completed yet.. Dateland Air Force Auxiliary Field is an unwanted military landing strip situated in Dateland, Arizona, 40 miles east of Yuma, Arizona. There appears to of the Salome field had apparently changed somewhat. The remainder of The Publishing Airport Directory (according north of the 2 service roads is also untouched. southern-most compound is the Topock ADOT Maintenance Yard built the Site Six resort in the foreground, and 2 Lockheed Constellation approximately 10 miles west of the parent field, near Aguila, AZ [of Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. was said to consist of an 18 acre T-shaped sand/gravel/loam field AZ) to get a pilots license & needed somewhere to fly out Aeronautical Chart (according Santa Claus. to fly. former runway. photo. It used to be an African Masonic town. having a 1,500' east/west runway. The having 2 unpaved runways, with a beacon on the south side of the It Class Book of Claiborne Flight Academy's Class 44D. The structures southeast at the site of Topock Field showed the remains of a single The Aerodromes If the Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock). February 1939 Sectional Chart (according to Rick built closer to town. Topock was