Meigs Field

Merrill C. Meigs Field Airport was a single strip airport built on Northerly Island, the man-made island originally created to house the 1933-1934 Century of Progress in Chicago, Illinois. The airport opened on December 10, 1948, and became the country's busiest single-strip airport by 1955. The latest air traffic tower was built in 1952 and the terminal was dedicated in 1961. The airfield was named for Merrill C. Meigs, publisher of the Chicago Herald and Examiner and an aviation booster.

Related Topics:
Airport - 1933 - 1934 - Century of Progress - Chicago, Illinois - December 10 - 1948 - 1955 - 1952 - 1961 - Merrill C. Meigs - Chicago Herald and Examiner

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Northerly Island, owned by the Chicago Parks Department, is the first and only lakefront island to be built based on Daniel Burnham's 1909 Plan of Chicago. In the image to the right, Northerly Island forms the southern border of Chicago Harbor (now Monroe Harbor).

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The airport was a familiar sight on the downtown lake front. It was also well-known as the default takeoff field in many early versions of the popular Microsoft Flight Simulator software program.

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The Main Terminal Building was operated by the Chicago Department of Aviation and contained waiting areas as well as office and counter space. The runway at Meigs Feld was nearly 3,900 feet (1,200 m) long and 150 feet (46 m) wide. In addition, there were four public helicopter pads at the south end of the runway, near McCormick Place. The north end of the runway was near the Adler Planetarium.

Related Topics:
Runway - McCormick Place - Adler Planetarium

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