VALOR

First Municipal Airport in the

Tucson, United States

<br> <i>[Marker Front:]</i><br> <center>This ground was the location<br> of the<br> <b>First Municipal Airport</b><br> in the<br> <b>United States</b><br> The Tucson City Council approved the<br> financing for the airport, July 21, 1919<br> and<br> the City of Tucson in cooperation<br> with the Tucson Chamber of Commerce<br> established and constructed<br> the airport.<br> The first plane landed Nov. 20, 1919<br> Swede Myerhofer, Pilot</center><br> <i>[Marker Rear:]</i><br> Upon receipt of an official letter from Brig. Gen. &#8220;Billy&#8221; Mitchell of the U.S. Air Service urging the City of Tucson to provide a municipal airport. Mayor O.C. Parker and Allen B. Jaynes, President of the Chamber of Commerce, appointed a joint committee consisting of the following members:<br> <center><b>City of Tuscon</b><br> O. C. Parker &#8729; R. E. Fishburn &#8729; H. S. Corbett &#8729; Stanley Kitt &#8729; Folsom Moore<br> <b>Chamber of Commerce</b><br> Allen B. Jaynes &#8729; Orville S. McPherson &#8729; Monte Mansfield &#8729; Kirke Moore &#8729; E. J. Anderson</center><br> The committee purchased this 84 acre site from L. H. Manning for $30 an acre. A $5,000 loan from the Consolidated National Bank paid for the property and all necessary improvements and airport facilities.

Submit Update