Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Colorado: Northwestern Denver area

Colorado: Northwestern Denver area

Ruston Field / Federal Heights Airport (revised 4/17/05)

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Ruston Field / Federal Heights Airport, Federal Heights, CO

39.88 North / 105.02 West (Northwest of Denver, CO)

Ruston Field, as depicted on the February 1949 Denver Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

The Federal Heights Airport, also known as Ruston Airport was formed in 1944 by Harry Ruston.

However, no airfield at this location was yet depicted on the February 1945 Denver Sectional Chart (courtesy of Richard Doehring).

Harry Ruston's idea for the airport was that some of the World War II pilots would like to keep flying.

Ruston Airport was one of the first private airports in Colorado.

It was located southeast of the intersection of 100^th Avenue & Federal Boulevard.

The airport property consisted of 320 acres.

It had a single hangar (100' x 97') used for major engine repairs.

A second building (70' x 31') contained two classrooms,

one with aircraft simulators, and one which became a cafe, the "Pilots Perch."

An undated view of the layout of the five runways at Ruston Field, as well as the 8,000' grass landing area (the diagonal outline).

Courtesy of Patrick Griffith.

The airfield consisted of four runways (N/S: 3,900', N/W: 2,600', and N/W & S/E: 2,800'),

which were apparently unpaved.

In addition to the runways, there was reportedly an 8,000' long "grass landing area".

An undated business card of Ruston Field's operator, American Aviation, Inc. (courtesy of Patrick Griffith).

Bill Lemaster recalled that he flew into Ruston Field several times in the late 1940s.

The airport served as a training center for Regis College & Denver University.

Ruston Field was depicted on the February 1949 Denver Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)

as having a 3,500' unpaved runway.

An undated aerial view looking northwest at the hangar, terminal building,

and several planes on the ramp of Ruston Field (courtesy of Jim LaRue via Cheryl York).

At some point between 1949-54, the field was apparently renamed Federal Heights Airport,

as that is how it was labeled on the May 1954 Denver Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

It was depicted as having a 3,900' unpaved runway.

Ruston Field had a few accidents throughout the years.

In one a student took a plane in the mountains & was caught in a down draft,

resulting in the loss of the plane, with not a scratch on the pilot.

The second incident was when a pilot hit some power lines.

Luck prevailed again; the plane was lost, but the pilot was not injured.

Cheryl York provided a description of another accident:

"My Great uncle Riley Burrows was living in a small trailer at that airport.

He worked as a mechanic at the field for about a month.

He & an airshow wing walker were killed in a crash about a mile north in a wheat field May 9, 1950."

Between 1957-1960, the Jefferson County Airport took all the business from Ruston Airport.

Ruston also came under increasing pressure from surrounding housing developments."

The 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)

depicted the "Ruston Heights" Airport as having three runways, with the longest being the 3,900' Runway 17/35.

Two small buildings were depicted along the west side of the field.

According to Cheryl York, "Mr. Ruston finally closed his airport in 1961.

It took him three years to get out of debt.”

The airfield was no longer depicted at all

on the June 1963 Denver Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

A 2002 photo by Patrick Griffith of an original hangar from Ruston Field, which remains in use as an auto parts store.

A 2002 photo by Patrick Griffith of Ruston Field's airport office building, which remains in use as a bar.

No trace remains of the runways,

as the surrounding area has been heavily developed.

However, both airport buildings still remain standing:

as of 2002, the former hangar is in use as an auto parts store,

and the former airport office building is the "Flight Deck" bar.

Cheryl York reported on an interesting part of Ruston Airport's configuration:

“When I got a tour from a man who was like a piece of history there,

he showed me an arched doorway downstairs that had been bricked up.

It used to be the entrence of a tunnel where the Ladies Of The Eve went from airport [office building[ to hangar.”

Bob Resling reported in 2005 that “The Flight Deck Bar

is still standing & is located on the East side of Federal Boulevard.”

A 2005 photo by Cheryl York showing the demolision of the former Ruston Airport office building, last reused as the Flight Deck Bar.

Cheryl York reported, “As of today April 13, 2005, the Flight Deck Bar [the former Ruston Airport office building] is gone.

I found out from Mayor Sparks of Federal Heights that it was the owner, Shelly Ruston Munn, that had the Flight Deck leveled.”

A 2005 photo by Cheryl York showing the reason for the redevelopment of the former Ruston Airport – the ever-present new homes.

A 2005 photo by Cheryl York showing the remains of the steps which led into the Ruston Airport office building.

A 2005 photo by Cheryl York showing the former Ruston Airport hangar, which remains standing (for the time being).

Thanks to Patrick Griffith for pointing out this field.

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