The Airport page on Kilduffs.com started as a page of a few old postcards for Baltimore’s and Anne Arundel County’s Friendship Airport. now known as Thurgood Marshall Airport. Over the years, that airport has grown as one might expect. Research pointed me to the Airports in Dundalk in the 1920’s and 1940’s, and the smaller airports all over the area that development has erased. Comments, as always, are welcome.
Baltimore’s Friendship Airport History
Back in the 1920’s, Baltimore’s airfield was known as Logan Field, and was on the Eastside of town, in Dundalk. 
Another airport in the Baltimore Area was Rutherford Field, which in 1930 called itself ” Baltimore Airport”.
This small airfield was located in Northwest Baltimore County, near the intersection of Windsor Mill and Rolling Roads.
The estimated cost of the Airfield in Baltimore was $4. million dollars in 1928. This was for property next to Logan Field and plans of a newer airfield.
Logan Field was replaced by Harbor Field, which was just west of Logan, and bordered the water. There were years when many planes, known as the Flying Clippers, actually used the water to take off and land.
In 1927, one of the possible sites for an airport was Bare Hills – Lake Roland, which never got past the ” suggested ” level. In 1929, work was begun for the “new” Harbor Municipal Airport. Also in 1929, I read an article of an airport being planned along Druid Hill Park. Not to be outdone, another airport field called “Baltimore Airport Terminals, Inc. ” was being built at Greenspring Avenue and Smith Avenue. In 1929, there was also debate of the lack of planning for Dirigibles, such as the Zepplin, which according to the article are ” here to stay”.
In 1930, famed airman Charles Lindbergh was attempting to start a plane, while at Logan Field, when the engine caught fire. He was with his wife at the time, and was able to quickly put out the small fire.
Land runways were built to replace the water landings, but the airport had issues with runways sinking and the ground not being quite as steady as they had hoped for at Harbor Field. The airport also went by the name of Municipal Airport.
In 1940, in describing the new airport, ” Sucker’s Terrace” was mentioned as a aerial walkway for those who wanted to see the airport and planes, but weren’t actually getting a flight.
in 1941, the Mayor of Baltimore was having serious discussion about charging an admission fee to people who just wanted to go to the new airport and watch the planes.
In 1943, the runways at the new airport were being found to be too short for many of the new planes that were flying. Also in 1943, a writer to the Baltimore Sun advised that there was a stench in the air at the airport from sewer waters draining into the harbor nearby.
In 1945, there was talk of the airport closing in 1946, due to funding issues.
By the 1950’s, work was being done on Friendship Airport, in Anne Arundel County Maryland, a few miles south of Baltimore City.
In 1946, in talking of the new Friendship Airport being built, one headline was for the 170 bodies from small cemeteries and family burial sites to be moved as the airport started the building process. The airport was being built on the 3,000 acre Friendship Church site. In 1948, names were being mentioned for the new airport, including Baltimore City Memorial Airport, Baltimore Airport, and Baltimore City Airport. 
1949 Baltimore Sun map for new airport
In 1950, Friendship Airport opened it’s door for business and according to one article, 80,000 people showed up to see the new airport. The opening day brought bumper to bumper traffic to the area, and even attracted the attention of President Truman, who showed up. He beat the back ups however, flying in on his plane known as the ” Independence”. With him on the flight was Baltimore City Mayor D’Alesandro, and I believe it was the first time the Mayor had even flown in an airplane.
apparently when the airport opened up, it even had a gaming room” , complete with slot machines.
As the grand opening of Friendship was going on, Baltimore City was putting up for sale the Curtiss Wright Building at the old Harbor Field, with money made from that sale for the upkeep at Friendship.
In 1951, a honest cab driver took a fare to Friendship Airport. The passenger, who apparently had a little too much to drink, left his wallet, with $700 in same, on the back seat of the cab. The driver made sure the passenger got all his belongings back.
In 1953, a Air Force B-25 crashed near the airport, killing three on board.
In 1954, Friendship Airport was being urged as a airport that could relieve the air traffic issues of Washington DC’s National Airport.
In 1957, a Boeing 707 on a test flight across the Country landed at Friendship Airport, to a large crowd.
By 1959, there was already talk in the papers of changing the name of Friendship Airport to Baltimore-Washington Airport.
1960 saw the last “flight” of a plane leave Harbor Field in Baltimore.
There was talk in 1960 to changing the airport’s name to Baltimore International Airport.
Friendship Airport changed it’s name in later years to BWI Airport, and later to Thurgood Marshall Airport.
1961 saw the beginning of State control of the airport.
All Rights Reserved 2024 Kilduffs.Net
An Index of all we have to offer on Kilduffs.
All Rights Reserved – 2024- Kilduffs.Net
You must be logged in to post a comment.