Callahan County Airport

Callahan County Airport (HM1I42)

Location: Baird, TX 79504 Callahan County
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Country: United States of America
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N 32° 26.377', W 99° 23.061'

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Inscription
Shortly after WWII, the first official Callahan County airport opened. Baird businessmen Ralph Ashlock and Earl Johnson leased this land from William H. Hardy where two decades earlier Mr. Hardy operated a county poor farm. With help from local welder and mechanic Rusty Higgins, they built a large hangar. Ex-military aviators like Reaves Hickman and Wendall Jones continued their flying experiences in surplus aircraft acquired by the airport owners. Jones also gave flight instructions. The most modern plane in Baird, a 1947 Luscombe Silvaire, was owned by Wm. Hardy. Another local, Eldon Dunlap, flew a 1930s Fairchild 24.

Many local residents took their first airplane ride in Baird-based planes with names like "Swee' Pea" and "Ol' Yellow and Silver." Only one significant accident occurred as a plane flying cross-country ran out of fuel and crashed just short of the runway. After about 10 years, interest in flying waned; only Hardy and Dunlap had planes in the hangar when an unusually heavy snowfall collapsed the roof crushing one of the planes and ending operations at the Callahan County Airport.
Details
HM NumberHM1I42
Tags
Year Placed2014
Placed ByCallahan County Historical Commission
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Monday, December 1st, 2014 at 9:01pm PST -08:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)31N E 166021 N 0
Decimal Degrees32.43961667, -99.38435000
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 32° 26.377', W 99° 23.061'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds32° 26' 22.62" N, 99° 23' 3.66" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)325
Which side of the road?Marker is on the right when traveling North
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 2600-2602 US-283, Baird TX 79504, US
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