History of Aviation in Big Spring, Texas and the Surrounding Area Joe Pickle History of Aviation in Big Spring, Texas and the Surrounding Area Joe Pickle History of Aviation in Big Spring, Texas and the Surrounding Area By Joe Pickle and many Contributors of Photographs and Stories Webb Air Force Base viewed from Scenic Mountain 1976 Design/Production by Doyle Phillips History of Aviation in Big Spring, Texas and the Surrounding Area Joe Pickle Big Spring had its first brush with aviation not pus. About the same time, a Lt. Plum put his craft long after the Wright Brothers successfully demon- down west of town close to today’s municipal air- strated their flying machine. port, south of Interstate 20 west. Robert G. Fowler, responding to a cash pot of Neither site qualified as an airport, and if they some $300 to $400, landed his primitive plane in had, Charles Lindberg likely would have landed here August 1911 near what is now Settles and East 12th when he flew over the city in 1927, probably navi- Streets. Almost everyone in town turned out to wit- gating eastward by following the T&P railroad. The ness the event, and peace officers were hard pressed dirigible Shenendoah flew west over Big Spring Oc- to restrain overly excited citizens from taking can- tober 10, 1924, causing natives to vie for every high vas samples from the plane as souvenirs. After World spot from which to view this marvel that looked like War I, barnstormers used this general landing area a balloon on its approach and an elongated pickle known as the Fair Grounds. as it passed by. In the early 1920s, a small flight of U.S. Army When promoter S.E.J. Cox head of General Oil DeHaviland bi-planes (two-winged) bivouacked in Company struck oil (not a commercial producer) in the vicinity east of the present Howard College cam- 1920 on the L.S. McDowell ranch in northern The dirigible Shenendoah flew west over Big Spring October 10, 1924, causing natives to vie for every high spot from which to view this marvel that looked like a ballon on its approach and an elongated pickle as it passed by. Ed Fisher Photo History of Aviation in Big Spring, Texas and the Surrounding Area Joe Pickle Glasscock county, he flew to Big Spring frequently, lease (location not specified) for a landing strip, but and used the airplane as a centerpiece for a big bar- the search for a more adequate airport continued. becue and celebration of his oil discovery. (1) Frank Pool offered to sell acreage out of his ranch Part of Cox’s promotion was to have his airplane immediately south of town, and so did W.R. swoop down on the arriving T&P special train. Cow- Creighton on his place immediately west and north boy Shorty Wells, without regard for safety or aero- of Texas Highway 1 (later U.S.80). It was however, dynamics, strapped his saddle behind the cockpit the 225 acre tract (later supplemented) owned by and in front of the tail of the fuselage. He was se- H.F. Taylor west of the city and south of Texas High- cure until the plane dived, causing his 10-gallon way 1 that gained favor and ultimately was to be hat to fly backwards and almost garrote him with the airport site. (3) the chin strap. B. Reagan, pioneer educator, businessman, and The first paying discovery of oil on Nov. 7, 1925 civic booster, noted that Big Spring was missing by Fred Hyer (No.1 H.R. Clay on the south Howard several flights a week because of the lack of an air- County line) accelerated the building of an airport. port, and C.T. Watson, Chamber manager, called The ensuing oil boom more than trebled the city’s for “more action and less talk.” (4) population within Frank B. King, laundry operator and aviation the next four years, enthusiast, teamed with Taylor, to begin blading accentuating con- runways (delayed in part until the cotton crop on it cern for better could be harvested). King reported that he had suc- transportation. cess having BIG SPRING printed in large letters on Even J.L. Lancaster, the Big Spring Compress warehouse roof. (5) They Texas and Pacific installed refueling facilities and soon the airport was Railway president, handling numerous weekly flights. sensed things to It did not materialize but Maddux Airlines come when he told planned service from Los Angeles to El Paso, and civic leaders that possibly a stopover in Big Spring on the Abilene rail passenger traf- extension. (6) There was, however, real substance to fic would be rel- the report that A.P. Barrett, Fort Worth, president egated to furnishing of the Texas-Louisiana Power Company and other overnight accommo- corporations, was organizing Texas Air Transport Mr. A.P. Barrett, a native of Big Spring, and vice-president of TAT, dations.(2) The (TAT) with the objective of a Fort Worth-El Paso ser- SAT, American Airways. He was Chamber of Com- vice. (7) Big Spring boosters immediately went to instrumental in establishing the Big merce paid a $300 Fort Worth to convince Barrett that their town was Spring Airport. Photo Cecil Hamilton History of Aviation in Big Spring, Texas and the Surrounding Area Joe Pickle The Big Spring Airport Opens September 12, 1929 Lots of People and Aeroplanes Cecil Hamilton Photos An SAT (American Airways) passenger plane, Fokker Super The big, new hangar in the background History of Aviation in Big Spring, Texas and the Surrounding Area Joe Pickle SAT, American Airways passenger plane TAT Fying School trainer History of Aviation in Big Spring, Texas and the Surrounding Area Joe Pickle Cecil Hamilton An opening, typically windy, day. The dog may be little bothered by the hullabaloo nor the Ford Tri-Motor. History of Aviation in Big Spring, Texas and the Surrounding Area Joe Pickle the ideal refueling stop. Hardin-Simmons Cowboy Band was engaged to On Oct. 5, 1928, the City of Big Spring pro- augment the Big Spring Municipal Band in enter- posed a $150,000 bond package, including $65,000 taining at the celebration. Several of the latest type for an airport site purchase, but it was defeated Nov. aircraft, including the all-aluminum fuselage Ford 15, 1928. (8) On January 13, 1929, Sillman Evans Tri-Motor and a Lockheed Speedster, were among (later to become publisher of the Chicago Sun and those on hand, along with the Fokkers. Nashville Tennessean), who had grown up in Big L.F. McKay, who had come to Big Spring with Spring, and now was TAT vice-president, came to railroad in 1880, booked flight with Woodall. This town on an inspection tour. Civic leaders hurried to was not McKay’s first flight for he had taken a bal- Fort Worth to seal the deal. On March 1, 1929, loon ride at the 1893 Worlds Fair in Chicago. From Howard Woodall, a TAT pilot, landed his six pas- Breckenridge came E.W. McCoy, who had hunted senger Fokker Universal plane to inaugurate air buffalo on the airport site in the 1870s to take his service. Pilot Bledsoe (Slim) Payne was to have met first plane ride. Woodall in Big Spring, but he was two hours late in To highlight the theme, “History of Transporta- his takeoff from El Paso. (9) tion,” Jack Ellis went to Mexico and purchased for A significant development was the organization $1,000 a yoke of oxen and cart for the inauguration of the Big Spring Airport Co. Inc. It was chartered parade. (Afterwards he could find no market for the May 5, 1929, with $65,000 capital stock ($50 per oxen, which eventually were “sold for steaks.”) (10) share). Ray Wilcox, who had spearheaded a suc- Meantime, signs of competition were emerging. cessful drive to build the six-story Petroleum Build- Sweetwater, which had sent a delegation aboard the ing, was president; B. Reagan, vice-president; Frank TAT plane, to the Big Spring airport party, secured B. King, secretary; A.J Crawford, Fox Stripling, and a destination as a “food stop.” T.S. Currie, directors. Response was good, and by The New York Central Railroad offered rail August enough funds had been raised ($26,000 of service on August 4, 1929 “to St. Louis, where South- it in cash) to award building contracts of $47,412. west Air Fast Express (SAFE) was to fly them to Construction was soon underway for a five-room Sweetwater. That town had a Gulf Oil Company re- terminal with facilities to house a ticket office, a finery that could provide fuel for the planes just well communications center, rooms for the U.S. Depart- as any one of the four refineries in Big Spring. The ment of Commerce and U.S. Weather Bureau. A steel refueling stop TAT (SAFE) was retained by Big Spring, hangar, shops, concrete apron and border lights for and a “luncheon stop” was made in Sweetwater. The night flying were nearing completion. Texas and Pacific Railway provided the overnight Formal opening of the airport was announced trip as far as El Paso, then Standard Airlines took for September 12-13, 1929. The world-famous the travelers on to Los Angeles. (11) History of Aviation in Big Spring, Texas and the Surrounding Area Joe Pickle Midland also was operating its new airport in When the government accused American Air- 1927; it was there two years later that the Women’s ways of devious operations, service was suspended Transcontinental Air Tour stopped.