Local history

Airport site gets historical status

80th anniversary of Curtiss Airfield to be celebrated Oct. 17

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Some of the most famous pilots of the early 20th century, like Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh, flew out of Curtiss Airfield in Valley Stream.

The former airport site — where the Green Acres Mall is now — was recently recognized as a historical landmark by the Town of Hempstead’s Landmarks Preservation Committee. A historical marker will be installed in front of Home Depot, which was built on the site of two of the airport’s hangars, to honor the airfield. The landmark will be unveiled on Oct. 17 at 10 a.m.

Guy Ferrara, president of the Valley Stream Historical Society, said he researched the history of the airport for three years, collecting information to prove the airport’s historical significance to the town’s preservation committee. Ferrara said he spoke with witnesses who watched Lindbergh fly out of Curtiss Airfield, spent 12 hours looking through microfilm at the village library and even tracked down Elinor Smith, one of the original members of the Ninety Nines — the first chartered group of licensed women pilots, which formed at Curtiss Airfield in 1929. Earhart was the group’s first president.

“It’s very important to preserve the history of Long Island,” Ferrara said. “We need to educate the young people so that they can appreciate the history of where they are living.”

He added that Curtiss Airfield is not only important to Valley Stream’s history, but to aviation history as well. “A lot of the pilots that flew out of Valley Stream were pioneers,” Ferrara said. “Their work contributed to better designs for planes.”

Town Supervisor Kate Murray said she was happy to help the former airport site gain historical recognition. “I am thrilled that we have the opportunity to forever memorialize the historical significance of Curtiss Airfield, where legends of aviation took flight,” Murray said.

The field formally opened on April 7, 1929, after the smaller Rogers Airport and the adjoining Reisert Farm were purchased by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. The airport, with its three runways in the shape of a triangle, remained fully operational for just five years. At one point, Ferrara said, more than 800 planes flew out of Curtiss Airfield each day, and it was the largest commercial airport on Long Island.

Six hangars were built there to house planes, and four remain standing today. They are now privately owned commercial properties, and have been expanded. Home Depot occupies the site of the other two hangars. Ferrara noted that the storefront was designed to resemble the airport’s old facilities.

The Columbia Aircraft Company was founded at Curtiss in 1929, and airplane production began in Valley Stream. Though the airport closed in December 1933 as the Great Depression deepened, the property still remained connected to the aviation industry, with the building of planes there. Gabe Parrish, vice president of the historical society, joined Columbia Aircraft in 1942 on the wing assembly line. Parrish said he helped build planes that were called “ducks.” “They were used to rescue pilots who were shot down over the Pacific,” he said.

Parrish added that he and Ferrara worked hard to get the airfield recognized by the town landmark committee. “I’m really happy about this,” he said. “Valley Stream has a pretty good history of aviation.”

In 1946, Commonwealth Aircraft bought the property and began building commercial planes there. The company moved its operations to Kansas the following year, ending airplane production in Valley Stream. Green Acres Mall opened in 1956.

Andrew Hackmack contributed to this story.