Beginning of the Airport

             In 1931, Millinocket citizens began the process to build an airport. Prior to that time, an occasional small plane had landed in a field or at the ball park. An aviation field committee was formed and a site was selected on Medway Road. The site, at that time, contained the “town farm (poorhouse) which was located in the area where during epidemics (smallpox, typhoid, diptheria) patients were isolated. Those buildings were removed and a long piece of land was plowed and seeded.

            GNP had coal ashes from the mill hauled to the site to be used as fill. Also, fill was hauled from the high bank at the beginning of Medway Road to fill in a swampy area. The aviation committee added more members to oversee the airport construction with the hope that both airmail and commercial traffic would make use of this new airport.

             Federal authorities stated that Millinocket was a geographical key point and the project could receive Federal funds. CCC men (camp located nearby) could provide the labor and GNP owned and would provide the land. Information about the project was sent to the Maine State Highway Commission and the US Dept. of Commerce Bureau of Aeronautics, to be placed on state maps and federal Air Navigation maps.

By 1939, two runways were in use (north-south 2200 ft. X 110 ft. wide & 2400 ft. X 100 ft. wide).

            By 1937, Northeast Airlines was flying in and out of Millinocket providing commercial service between Bangor, Houlton and Presque Isle. A small building was erected for use as an office for the purchase of tickets, weighing of baggage and a waiting room.  The Weather Bureau placed some weather equipment at the field.  In 1939, the Civil Aeronautics Authority built a flight service station that would soon be working with military planes. Radio towers were placed near the Rice Farm, and a beacon and landing lights were placed at the airport. This station was referred to as the CAA shack. After WWII, the FAA added radar equipment at Medway to tie in with the radio directional system in Millinocket.

            Locals became interested in flying! Some purchased their own planes. Others attended flying schools…one was the Rockland Flying School. Some of these private planes would carry fishermen to the area lakes, supplies to various sporting camps and, as a result, new businesses formed.

            Young people wanted to learn to fly! So, the Millinocket Aero Club was formed. Its original nine members bought a Piper Cub and spent $5.00 to purchase a small construction shack from GNP to use as a clubroom at the airport. Once they had $125 in their treasury, they built a hangar for the Piper Cub members. All was going well for the club, but then WWII began, military planes were landing at the airport and the club activities were suspended.

Over the next few years, activities and use of the airport increased. There were more clubs, flying lessons were offered, hunters & fishermen were carried to their destinations by local pilots. The airport has had changes through the years, but continues to serve the Millinocket area…a recent activity was the yearly fly-in.