Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Central Georgia
© 2002, © 2008 by Paul Freeman. Revised 9/7/08.
(Original) Columbus Municipal Airport (revised 9/7/08) - Putnam County Airport (revised 10/30/07)
South Expressway Airport (revised 9/28/05)
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South Expressway Airport (9A7), Jonesboro, GA
33.51 North / 84.36 West (South of Atlanta, GA)
South Expressway Airport, as depicted in the 1972 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The date of construction of this general aviation airport is unknown.
The origins of the field were described by Ed Bernd.
He recalled that airport owner-manager W.H. 'Bill' Galloway “has been flying forever.
He met up with a farmer who owned some land in Jonesboro,
and they went into a partnership on the airport.
Galloway & the farmer each owned 40% of the business, and their wives each owned 10%.
The idea was to have a grass strip, but they never could get grass to grow.
Before I showed up there, they had fertilized the runway to get grass to grow.
It rained & the wet fertilizer got throw all over the place very time a plane landed.
They had to wash every plan that landed during that time.
So they stuck with the dirt strip.”
The earliest dated reference to the field comes from Ed Bernd,
who recalled, “It might have been built during 1960.
I first stopped at the field in October of 1960.
Just a single dirt strip about the length [2,600'], and talked with the owner-manager, W.H. 'Bill' Galloway.
I didn't take my first lesson that afternoon despite the great selling job that Bill Galloway did on me...
but I came back the next day.
He told me a 'secret' about the best time to learn to fly:
'Today, because that's the only time you can ever do it.'
I could hardly sleep that night.
The next day of course the weather was horrible.
The radio said wind gusts to 50 mph (perhaps they exaggerated somewhat).
It was very late afternoon by the time I got back over there.
By that time I was scared that he might not take me up because of the lateness & the weather.
But he was too good a salesman for that.
We climbed into his personal plane, a Cessna 140 complete with wheelpants, and I got my first lesson.”
Ed continued, “When I first went there, they owned 4 airplanes:
Galloway's personal Cessna 140; two Cessna 120's that were used to train students
(he never let me in his 140 again); and a Piper J3 Cub.
I don't know why they had the J3, but I finally talked them into checking me out in it & I loved it.”
Ed continued, “I got my private license on July 13, 1961.
Somewhere along the way I went to work at the airport, as a line boy.
Somehow it seemed better than being managing editor of our family newspaper.”
The airport was not yet depicted at all (perhaps it was overlooked as a relatively small field)
on the 1961 Great Smoky Mountains World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Ed continued, “When the Cessna 150 first came out, they bought one.
That might have been in late 1961, or it might have been 1962.
They sold one of the 120's, and then one of his flight instructors flipped the other 120 one day.
So all he had left was the 150 and the Cub, until he got the 120 fix.
Later they bought a Air Coupe - not the old Ercoupe with the controls tied together,
but a nice low wing airplane with a bubble canopy & a 90 hp engine... I loved to fly it.
He had about 3 flight instructors there as I recall.”
Ed Bernd recalled, “Finally they had a strip of asphalt laid over the dirt.
I'd guess that could have been 1962.
They had one hangar, on the south side of the airport, and one mechanic.
They tied down airplanes on both sides.
I remember at one time race driver Joe Weatherly hid his airplane way back at the back of the tiedown area for a couple of months
until he made enough money to get caught up on the payments.
It was an interesting layout: The airport was right up against the southern edge of the Atlanta control zone,
so we had to fly all our patterns on the south side of the airport.
At the east end of the runway was a 4-lane highway.
There were power lines, a fence, and the runway went downhill for the first few hundred feet.
It was a bit of a challenge to land that way.
After that first few hundred feet the runway leveled out.
At the west end, the ground dropped off again... and there was a big stand of tall Georgia pine trees.”
Ed continued, “Naturally we preferred to land uphill... heading east.
The wind would come down the runway, then across the area that had been cleared, and then hit those pines...
giving us a stiff updraft just before we got to the end of the runway.
We'd drop a ways (depending on how strong the wind was of course)
so we'd juice the throttle to keep from dropping to far, then settle down & land.”
Ed continued, “We had one really nice airplane based there, a Piper Cherokee.
It was the only plane they kept in the hangar.
One day the owner came in a little too low - landing downhill - and sat it down on the fence.
The fence posts punched holes in the wings, but didn't hurt them.
They hustled it into the hangar very quickly so nobody would know.
I was working there at the time & didn't even know about it for several days.”
Ed continued, “Like most businesses in the South back then,
they got the sign for the establishment from the Cocoa Cola company.
They would provide a big red sign with the big red Coca Cola log & big red letters that said 'Drink Coca Cola',
and leave you a little white space to put the name of your business.
I think all that he had there was the word 'Airport' in the biggest letters he could fit on there.
So we always loved to tease the Chief about his 'Cocoa Cola Airport'."
The earliest directory listing of South Expressway Airport which has been located was in the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory,
which described the field as having a single 2,600' paved Runway 6/24.
The operator was listed as South Expressway Airport Inc.
The 1972 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy) depicted the South Expressway Airport
as having a single 2,700' paved Runway 6/24.
A parallel taxiway on the south side of the runway led to two ramps,
along which were three buildings (hangars?).
South Expressway Airport was still described in much the same manner
in the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury).
As of the 1993 USGS aerial photo, the airport was apparently quite healthy,
as a total of 30 aircraft were visible parked outside, in addition to the four hangars which were at the airport.
South Expressway Airport was owned by Lucy Huie & her husband.
David Lopez reported that he flew into & out of South Expressway Airport in the early 1990's.
He recalled, “This airport was unlike many of our current airports in that it was 'Spectator Friendly'.
If you went out to this airport on a weekend, you would find open hangars
with lawn chairs strewed about facing the runway and bar-b-q grills scenting the air with the aroma of hotdogs & hamburgers.
Kids, parents, family and friends would gather to watch as the planes would take-off & land.”
According to Glen Boyd (manager of LaGrange-Callaway Airport),
a fairly large tract of houses was located on the opposite (northeast) side of Route 19-41,
"from which the usual barrage of complaints often came.
Off-airport emergency landings didn't help much,
especially one that crashed on the roof of a house in the development
(yes, of course the airport was there LONG before the development)."
According to Ronald Willard, "South Expressway Airport closed in approximately 1994
as part of a transaction brokered between Henry & Clayton counties
over the use of then named Bear Creek Airport (now known as Tara Field),
located less than ten miles south of South Expressway Airport just off Highway 19-41.
Most private pilots who once used South Expressway likely now use Tara.
Tara Field doesn’t have quite the character South Expressway had.
There was nothing like the sight of cruising up Highway 19-41
and suddenly having a small plane zip across just overhead on final approach."
The land of the former South Expressway Airport was purchased in 1998,
and construction began that same year to build the Clayton County Justice Center on the site.
Glen Boyd points out the irony in how the complaints of neighboring residents
contributed in replacing an airport with a prison:
"I often wonder about how happy having a penal institute in this location makes residents of that development."
In the words of Ronald Willard, "The community should have left well enough alone,
a small airfield is a much better neighbor than a jail."
As can be seen in the 2002 USGS aerial photo,
the runway had been removed,
and the building of the Justice Center had been constructed over most of the former airport property.
However, note the 8 airplanes that were still parked around the former airport building northeast of the center of the photo.
A closeup from the 2002 USGS aerial photo,
showing the 7 airplanes that were still parked around the former airport building
on the north side of the runway (even after the runway had been removed).
According to Glen Boyd, the building was the Clayton College & State University A&P school.
These were apparently the aircraft which were used in maintenance instruction at the school.
Boyd notes that the A&P school itself has recently been threatened with closure,
so it may not still be operational.
Ronald Willard reported in 2004,"I was at the old site of South Expressway [Airport] earlier today
and found that a portion of the old runway is still in place.
It is cracked, of course, with a lot of grass growing through but an old bed is still there."
According to David Lopez, “I miss this kind of atmosphere & I'm pretty sure that we have seen the last of such public airports.
Apparently the local community preferred a prison instead of a small airstrip.”
The site of the former airport is located west of the intersection of Tara Boulevard & Poston Road.
Thanks to Larry Judy for pointing out this airfield.
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Putnam County Airport (32A), Warfield, GA
33.3 North / 83.38 West (Southeast of Atlanta, GA)
Putnam County Airport, as depicted on the October 1976 Atlanta Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airport while open has not been located.
This county airport was evidently established at some point between 1975-76,
as it was not yet depicted on the October 1975 Atlanta Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of Putnam County Airport which has been located
was on the October 1976 Atlanta Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field as having a single 3,000' paved runway.
The April 1980 Atlanta Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Putnam County as having a single 3,000' paved runway.
The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury)
described Putnam County Airport as having a single 3,000' asphalt Runway 10/28.
Marion Seckinger recalled, “I'd stop on occasion at the Putnam County Airport just to see what was parked there.
During one visit in the mid to late 1980s, I stopped to talk with a aircraft owner.
He related that he was going to be forced to move to the Baldwin County Airport in the near future.
It seemed that a local businessman, Dudley Horton,
had a mobile-home manufacturing facility adjacent to the airport.
He coveted that wide-open & paved space to park finished mobile homes on.
The story was that he was to purchase & donate a tract so that another airport could be built,
but that has never come to pass.”
USGS topo map 1985.
Putnam County Airport was described by the 1986 Flight Guide (according to Chris Kennedy) as being unattended.
The field was depicted as having a single 3,000' paved Runway 10/28.
A ramp was located north of the western end of the runway.
A single small building was located on the north edge of the ramp,
and two much larger buildings were located on the northern side of the field.
Putnam County Airport was apparently closed at some point between 1986-99.
According to Brad Turner, “The airfield was closed because Horton Homes
needed room to expand its production & storage of mobile homes & trailers.
A political solution was reached in which the Horton Corporation agreed to hire more locals
if they were permitted to close the airport & use the room for expansion.
Only a few persons, myself included, used the field since the Milledgeville airfield
at the southern end of Lake Sinclair was more populated & built adjacent to the water.
At the time of the closure, the prospect of more local employment
outweighed the needs of only a few local pilots
and a decision was made to close the airfield. I still miss it.”
As of the 1999 USGS aerial photo,
the industrial buildings of Horton Homes had been built along both ends of the former runway.
The runway itself still existed, and was being used to store finished mobile homes.
The airport was still depicted as an abandoned airfield on 2002 aeronautical charts.
The site of the former airport is located east of the intersection of Routes 441 & 129,
one mile south of Eatonton.
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(Original) Columbus Municipal Airport, Columbus, GA
32.45 North / 84.97 West (Southwest of Atlanta, GA)
The original Columbus Municipal Airport, as depicted on the 1929 Rand McNally Air Trails Map (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The original Municipal Airport for the town of Columbus was located adjacent to the south side of the town.
The date of construction of the airport has not been determined.
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the 1929 Rand McNally Air Trails Map (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It described Columbus as an auxiliary airfield,
operated by the Department of Public Works.
The field was said to measure 3,400' x 2,550'.
The Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airports Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described the Columbus Municipal Airport as having two sod runways,
2,800' northwest/southeast & 2,200' northeast/southwest.
The November 1944 Birmingham Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Columbus as a municipal or commercial airport.
A 1949 USDA aerial photo of the Columbus Municipal Airport
depicted the field as having two unpaved runways.
A parking apron was located on the southeast side of the field,
but there did not appear to be any buildings or hangars at the airport.
The August 1962 Birmingham Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Columbus as having a 4,700' unpaved runway.
The 1967 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described the Columbus Municipal Airport as having 2 sod runways:
4,700' Runway 12/30 & 4,000' Runway 16/34.
The field was said to offer fuel, repairs, hangars, tiedowns, and charters.
The operators were listed as G. Dean Allen King & Jack A. King (Cessna dealers).
A circa 1968-69 photo (courtesy of Richard Ogletree) of his father's Cessna in front of the King's School of Aviation hangar at Columbus Airport.
Richard recalled, “I was exposed to general aviation at the age of 10 when my father started flying for pleasure.
He started flying out of the old Columbus airport.
At that time [1968-69] there was only one sod runway.”
Cham Watkins recalled, “I spent quite a bit of my childhood under Dean [King's] watchful eye.
My father who flew B-17's & B-29's in the war & kept his license current
and it was a great treat to go to this airport & rent a plane from King's School of Aviation for a father/son jaunt around the city.
Later, it became a Saturday ritual for my parents to drop me off there
and I would spend the day begging rides from very benevolent airplane owners
who for some reason put up with me while I learned about flying & operating off a grass strip.
In 1969, I was 14 & vividly remember the closing & moving
of King's School of Aviation over to the current Columbus Airport.
It was a sad day.
By now, Dean had purchased the business from his brother Jack & was the sole owner.
Sadly, Dean had a son who was an excellent pilot & he had much hope to hand him the business one day
but as fate would have it, his son was killed in an automobile accident at the age of about 18.
Dean never fully recovered, and the move to the other airport,
which was made necessary because of a decision the local government made during that time to not renew his lease
so that they could develop the land as industrial, was never profitable.”
The original Columbus Municipal Airport was apparently closed at some point between 1969-73,
as the 1973 USGS topo map showed that a road (Blanchard Boulevard)
had been built along the alignment of the former airport's Runway 12/30.
The airport site had been reused as the Blanchard Industrial Park.
The original Columbus Municipal Airport was no longer depicted at all
on the April 1974 Atlanta Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
As seen in the 1999 USGS aerial photo,
Blanchard Boulevard appears to have been overlaid on the former Runway 12/30.
The hangar which was visible in the 1949 aerial photograph is still visible, at the southwest corner of the former airport property.
The remainder of the former airport site is covered with a variety of buildings.
According to Bengie Phillips, just east of the hangar is the Interstate Brands Corporation (Dolly Madison) Bakery,
then the Georgia National Guard Armory, then the now-closed RC Cola Bottling Plant.
All of this lies in the Blanchard Industrial Park.
A close-up from the 1999 USGS aerial photo,
showing the former hangar which remains standing at the southwest corner of the former airport property.
A 2005 photo by Bengie Phillips of the front & side of the former Columbus Airport hangar
which sits at the eastern corner of the intersection of Jackson Avenue & Victory Drive.
The former windsock pole appears to remain on top of the hangar.
According to Bengie, the former hangar “is currently being used as a body shop by one of the local car dealers.”
The site of the original Columbus Municipal Airport is located at the intersection of Blanchard Boulevard & Jackson Avenue.
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