Within a surrounding 25 statute mile circle of the Greater Cumberland Regional Airport one would surmise, on first reflection, that there would be few other usable air fields nearby. To counter that view, what follows is a tabulation of those sites within that 25 mile radius, past and present, which have served as a departure and recovery point for aeronautical operations. To maintain constancy in the identity of these fields, the listing format is as indicated below:
- Name
- Radial computed from True North (since variation changes over time) and Statute Mile distance from the center of the Greater Cumberland Regional Airport
- Current or past use
- Runway length and Elevation where known
- Other features of interest
The sequence of listings is compiled from a clockwise direction, beginning from a True North line from the Cumberland Airport. There is no guarantee that the list is complete, but a concerted effort has been made to account for all within recollection or as listed on past and current aeronautical charts. Discounted in this list are several cow pastures and farm fields that were used sporadically by flying machines in bygone times. The following listing consists of those air fields from the 1920’s to the present time:
1. Leap Airfield – 015o/20 – Unknown if currently used – RW running NE/SW, 1500’ Turf, Ele. 1260’ – Listed on a past Cincinnati sectional chart but other information not available.
2. Growden Air Field – 025o/8 – Current use – RW running NE/SW, Turf, Ele. 1000’ – Private use only, not on Sectional chart. Developed and owned by Bob Growden for his personal use. Extremely short, the grass runway goes up a steep incline abeam of US Route 220 just north of the Mason-Dixon Line in Pennsylvania.
3. Centerville Air Strip – 027o/18 – Rarely used – RW running NE/SW, Turf, Ele. 1187’ – A Private air field located east of Centerville, PA and US Route 220.
4. Teeter’s Flying Hill Aerodrome – 057o/12 – Current use – RW 09/27, Turf, Ele. 1100’- This relatively new Private grass strip was developed by Greg and Willy Teeter for their personal use.
5. Custer Air Field – 072o/23 – Abandoned, RW running NE/SW, Turf, Ele. 1066’ – This Private air strip was located north of Interstate 68 near the Little Orleans exit.
6. Shank Air Field – 118o/17 – Abandoned – RW running NW/SE, Turf, Ele. 670’ – Paul Shank flew his Citrabia on this Private air strip located on his farm.
7. Levels Air Strip – 128o/14 – Abandoned – RW running E/W, Turf, Ele. 804’ – This was a grass strip placed through the center of a peach orchard, west of the small town of Levels, WV.
8. Brown’s Airfield – 130/15 – Current use – RW running N/S, Turf, Ele. 1005’ – A Private air field located south of Levels, WV. An Ercoupe and a second aircraft have been based on site.
9. Hager Air Strip – 135o/18 – Rarely used – RW running NE/SW, Turf, Ele. 1452’ – A Private air field located near Creekvale, WV.
10. Milleson Air Field – 159o/13 – Abandoned – RW running NW/SE, Turf, Ele. 678’ – This air strip was used by Bill Milleson on his farm property near one the many snake bends along the South Branch River, SE of Springfield, WV.
11. Eastview Field – 166o/16 – Current use – RW 04/22, 2000′ x 25′, Turf, Ele. 1600′ – A Private field operated by Loudoun L. Thompson, a Romney, WV attorney. The field offers a great view with a get-a-way residence and hangar on the south end. The air strip lies on top of Jersey Mountain, northeast of Romney, WV.
12. Romney Air Field – 173o/18 – Abandoned – RW running NW/SE, Turf, Ele. 812’ – This field was located near Route 28 just north of Romney, WV.
13. Lost Mountain Field – 177o/23 – Current Use – RW running NE/SW, 2600′ Turf, Ele. 1960′ – A Private field with nearby homes that border the site. The air field is on a mountain top with spectacular views, and is located south of Romney, WV.
14. Mexico Farms Airfield (1W3) – 180o/1 – Current Use – RW 9/27, 2120′ x 190′, Turf, Ele. 607′ – This is the second oldest airfield in the state of Maryland and one of the earliest fields established by the Army Air Service in the 1920’s for military use. The field lies along the Potomac River which serves as separation from the nearby Greater Cumberland Regional Airport. Initially developed on the Long farm, the field is currently owned and operated by Donald Johnson. There are numerous hangars on site and the field serves as home base for approximately 20 aircraft. With the Cumberland Airport on a higher plateau and the Mexico Farms site along the river bottom land, there is a difference in elevation between the two air fields of 169′. In spite of the close proximity of Mexico Farms to the Cumberland Airport, the two airports have co-existed in harmony for over six decades.
15. Stump’s Field – 183o/20 – Current use – RW running NE/SW, Turf, Ele. 685’ – A Private strip that lies along River Road as it goes south of Romney, WV.
16. Flying W Farm Air Field – 202o/22 – Current use – RW 04/22, 1800’ x 90’ Turf, Ele. 750’ – Located along US Route 50 in Burlington, WV, this conveniently Private air field is owned by Eugene Woodworth, who maintains his own aircraft on the site. It lies to the south of the highway and is within 1/2 mile of the location of the defunct Baker’s Air Park.
17. Baker’s Air Park – Abandoned – 203o/21 – RW East/West, 2400’ Turf, Ele. 740’ – Established in the 1940’s by Dave Baker, this air field was extensively used for twenty-two years and was the site of flight training for many under the GI Bill. The grass runway was on the north side of US Route 50 adjacent to the small town of Burlington, WV. Shortly after an injury to Baker, the field ceased operations and is now the site of a West Virginia Highways Department complex. Numerous exotic aircraft have graced its runway in the past.
18. Patterson Field – 204o/22 – Abandoned – RW running NE/SW, 1200’, Dirt, Ele. 961’ – Leo Patterson operated this Private strip on his property near Burlington, WV.
19. Wolford Air Strip – 205o/4 – Current use – RW running NE/SW, Turf, Ele. 850′ – This extremely short Private grass strip is operated by Pete Wolford for his personal use.
20. Holbrook Air Strip – 210o/12 – Abandoned – RW 02/20, Turf, Ele. 700’ – Bill Holbrook used this extremely short grass strip, adjacent to his home (his residence at that time) for his personal use. It was on a small knoll east of Knobley Road, north of Fountain, WV.
21. Adams Air Strip – 212o/ 13 – Abandoned – RW running SW/NE, Turf, Ele. 650’ – Dallas Adams, for a short period of time, developed a short Private grass strip along Knobley Road, north of Fountain, WV. It proved to be too short for practical use.
22. Long-John International (!) Air Strip – 212o/18 – Abandoned – RW running NE/SW, Turf, Ele. 1000’ – This field was operated for a short period by Dave Long and John Taylor where Dave kept an Aeronca Champ and Chief. The area has been overcome by urban development.
23. Lloyd Green Airfield – 219o/19 – Current use – RW running NE/SW, 3000’, Gravel, Ele. 1700’ – This field is located on top of Knobley Mountain, SW of Keyser, WV.
24. Wentz Airfield – 220o/8 – Abandoned – RW running NE/SW, 1100’ Sod, Ele. 750’ – Used in the late 1930’s by Herb Wentz where he kept a Waco 10, a Heath, and a Longster.
25. Knotts Air Strip – 223o/9 – Abandoned – RW 04/22 Turf, Ele. 690′ – Buck Knotts, owner of a Piper J-3 Cub, was the prime operator of this Private site that was located on the Loar farm, adjacent to Rawlings, MD. The runway was aligned with the railroad traversing through the Potomac Valley.
26. Miller Air Field – 223o/21 – Current use – RW 14/32, 1700′ Turf, Ele. 1050′ – Forrest Miller established this Private grass field on his farm south of Keyser, WV in the 1940’s. Several hangars are on site and some 15 aircraft are based on the field. Landings are made up hill to the NW and takeoffs are downhill to the SE.
27. Keyser Air Field – 224o/19 – No longer used – RW running NE/SW, Turf, Ele. 875’ – This grass air field was operated from the late 1940’s to the mid 1950’s. After termination of its use, urban growth has overcome the site, and now that area is known as Airport Addition, part of the expanding town of Keyser, WV.
28. Gerstell Air Strip – 225o/13 – Used primarily for helicopter operations – RW running NE/SW, Turf, Ele. 760’ – This Private field is owned and used by Duncan Smith for his personal use.
29. High Rock Air Field – 226o/14 – Current Use – RW 02/20, 1700′ x 185′, Grass, Ele. 759′ – Located along the Potomac River in Maryland, a picturesque mountain topped by a ‘High Rock’ lies tightly to the east in West Virginia. Bob Armstrong owns and developed this Private air strip, along with his father, Harold. They jointly maintain a fleet of four aircraft – a 1927 Pitcairn, a 1927 Waco 10, a Schweizer 1-19, and a 1946 Aeronca Champ. An old style wooden hangar houses these pristine craft that have gathered numerous awards for workmanship. Arrays of aeronautical artifacts are also on display in the hangar.
30. Cumberland Airport at Pinto – 233o/6 – Abandoned – RW, Any direction desired, 2100′ Turf, Ele. 695′ – Under the grandiose planning of Harold Krimm in 1929, a section of Yoder farm land at Pinto, MD was developed with the intention of major usage serving the Cumberland area. The site was located west of the present Alliant Tech Systems plant. At the time the flat farm land, to the east of US Route 220, was enticing for this use. However, the air field was short lived. There was a large Air Circus held on the field in 1929 which entailed an extensive air show display. Whether due to financial difficulties or a lack of interest by the developer is unknown, but the air field remained active for only two years. There was occasional use in later years, but the area is now the site of farm land, ironically as it was at the beginning.
31. Moran Air Field – 245o/18 – Rarely Used – RW 14/32 – 4000′ Paved, Ele. 2080′ – Developed and used exclusively by the Moran Coal Company in business endeavors.
32. Bever Airfield – 247o/24 – Abandoned in 1980 – RW 08/26, 2200’ Sod, Ele. 2900’ – Operated by George Bever where he kept a Cessna 150 and a Piper Tri-Pacer.
33. Marsh Field – 252o/11 – On Current Cincinnati Sectional Chart – RW running NE/SW, 2600’ Turf, Ele. 2600’ – A Private use airfield.
34. Midland Air Strip – 262o/12 – Current Use – RW running NE/SW, Turf, Ele. 1890′ – A Private air strip operated by Homer Gardner, located just to the west of the town of Midland, MD.
35. Wm. Keiling Air Field – 280o/9 – Abandoned – Open field with no defined RW, 1800’ Sod, Ele. 1900’ – Operated by ‘Chuckles’ Keiling as a Private air field.
36. Frostburg Air Field – 281o/11 – Abandoned – RW running NW/SE, 1500’ Turf, Ele. 2030’ – Two hangars were on the site. This field ceased existence in about 1985.
37. Meyersdale Air Field – 318o/21 – Abandoned – RW running NE/SW, 1800’ Paved, Ele. 2333’ – Listed on the 1976 Cincinnati Sectional Chart.
38. Ort Air Field – 325o/4 – Abandoned – RW 06/24, 1800’ Sod, Ele. 650’ – Operated by Lewis Ort in the valley in LaVale, MD. His original hangar is still on the site.
39. Hartman Air Field – 325o/21 – Current Use – RW direction unknown, 2600′ Turf, Ele. 2350′ – Private use, on current Sectional chart, further information unknown.
40. North View Airfield – 334o/25 – Current Use – RW direction unknown, 2400′ Turf, Ele. 2320′ – Private use, on current Sectional chart, further information unknown.
Shortly before the publishing of this manuscript another airfield has been developed which is interjected as follows:
41. Jim Thrush Airfield – 207o/21 – Current Use – RW East/West, 1900’ Turf, Ele. 745’ – This Private use airfield was recently developed by Jim Thrush on his farm located west of Burlington and parallel to and south of US Route 50. Due to the valley location, a small angle dog leg occurs at the mid point of the runway.
The compilation of these air fields abandoned and in current use that lies within the 25 statute mile radius of the Greater Cumberland Regional Airport is indicative of the interest and desire of a multitude of aviators to operate aircraft on sites that have served, and now serve, their individual purpose. The surprising total number of these air fields located in the Cumberland area is not unique to other parts of the country, but certainly verifies the appeal and dedication of pilots, some long gone and many others still active, to fulfill their intent to participate in the joy of flight. A further listing of all the types of aircraft that have launched and recovered from these sites would be lengthy and would certainly indicate a wide variety of airframes. The history of the air fields that have been abandoned will be largely forgotten, but their memory lives on in the minds of local aviators, past and present. Many of these air fields and airports remain active, some will be later developed to add to the utility and flavor of local aviation, but all will be affectionately remembered.
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Wings Over Cumberland 