The Western Hills Airport (also called Frank Airport and Cheviot Airport) was the first airport in western Hamilton County, Ohio. The airport was located in Bridgetown, Ohio. Airport operations began in 1929. It shut down during World War II, but reopened later. It slowly went into decline, ceasing services in 1949 as the aircraft outgrew the facility.
In 1788, John Cleves Symmes purchased the land now known as the Greater Cincinnati area.[1] In 1790, Hamilton County was officially incorporated.[2] Up until 1795 when the Treaty of Greenville was signed, Native Americans of the Shawnee Tribe occupied the area.[3] In 1809, settlers established Green Township. During this time, this land was largely used for hunting and trapping and was heavily wooded.[4] Moving into the 1820s, the land began to be cleared and was transitioned for agricultural use.[4] The land that would later be the site of Western Hamilton County's first airport was owned by Francis Frondorf and Elizabeth A. Groves.[5]
The land was later owned by Judge George F. Eyrich, Jr. and his wife, Ida R. Eyrich.[6][7] In 1926, the land was subdivided and the roads were dedicated for public use.[6] The subdivision was then called the Cheviot Heights Subdivision.[6][8]
The First Airplane Built in Western Hills, 1910
"Aviation fever" was sweeping the land and Cincinnati's first airport, Lunken Airport, opened on the east side of Hamilton County in 1925.[9][10][11] Not to be left behind, the westside of Hamilton County felt there was a need for an airport in the still-rural land of Bridgetown.[12]
Frank Airport era (1928–1930)
Grand Opening of Frank Airport
On November 8, 1928, approximately 50 acres of the Cheviot Heights Subdivision was purchased by Dr. E. S. Simmonds and Harry A. Frank.[12] The airport had been planned to be called the Western Hills Airport and would be western Hamilton County's very first airport.[6] The purchase was facilitated by the Western Hills Realty Company and two of its employees, F. O. Rack and L. J. Mueller, had been instrumental in attempting to bring an airport to the area.[6] The land, having been recently prepared for suburban homes, needed little preparation before planes could begin using the grass fields for landing and taking off. In early November, "Mowers, scrapers, tractors, and teams" were seen preparing the land and there was a flurry of excitement in the community.[13]
The land was viewed as perfect for an airport as it was of high elevation and free from fog and flooding as was common at the Lunken airfield at that time.[13] Bids were being taken from local business for building hangars and maintenance facilities to house and host approximately 50 private airplanes owned and operated in the greater Cincinnati area in 1928.[13] At one point, local leaders planned to land postal airplanes on the roof of the Union Terminal building, but abandoned the idea due to a lack of space.[13] This led local developers to consider other locations that would be near rail stations and could aid in the transport of mail across the county. It was hoped that the Western Hills Airport would serve as a U.S. mail station, but this idea seems to have never materialized throughout the lifespan of the westside airport.[13]
Dr. Earl Stanley Simmonds' younger brother, the attorney R. E. Simmonds, Jr., worked to form the organization that would run the airport. Being busy professionals, the Simmonds brothers needed a team who would run the organization and formed Frank Airport, Inc. on April 4, 1929.[14][15][16]
Harry A. Frank had studied airplane motor construction, service, and repair and was charged to be the initial administrator of the corporation.[17][18] The officers of the airport corporation had hoped the airport would become the expert hub for all things motor service for the entire Midwest.[13] Mr. Frank was a mechanical instructor in the United States Army Signal Corps for two years, served as a mechanical and electrical engineer for four years, and then for the seven years prior to opening the airport led a local company (whose business is unknown).[18]
Aerial photograph of Bridgetown, Ohio in April, 1948. Bridgetown Road can be seen going from left to right and the Cheviot Airport can be seen in the lower, center portion of the photo. By this time, airport operations had all but ceased. (Photo used with permission from and special thanks to The Green Township Historical Society)
The airport was located in Green Township, Ohio in the neighborhood now known as Bridgetown.[18][19] The hangar was located approximately at 3615 Neiheisel Avenue.[18][19] The north-east runway ran from approximately 3658 Eyrich Road south to 3501 Eyrich Road.[18][19] The east-west runway spanned from approximately the backyard of 3588 Krierview Drive eastward to the front yard of what is now 3594 Lakewood Drive.[18][19] The two runways crossed at approximately 3594 Eyrich Road today.[19][Note 1]
Articles running in the paper predicted thousands would flock to the airport and excitement was high.[20] Work to construct hangars on the property was originally planned to begin in late December 1928, and the airport was originally planned to open in February 1929.[21] However, this construction was repeatedly pushed back.[18]
In March 1929, planes began flying at the newly-cleared airport and a hangar was being built.[22] When reading articles from the Western Hills Press during these times about the airport, one gets the impression that the incorporators of the airport spent more time talking to the media about their big plans for the airport than they did developing the airport itself.[18] There were talks of aeronautical school buildings, office buildings and maintenance facilities being built.[22] And with each article, it seemed that the developers kept saying that the airport construction was going to be built "next month".[18]
The metal hangar was finished in May 1929, and the two planes the company had purchased were moved to the field from the Watson Airport where they were being stored.[23] In May, the Cincinnati Glider Club, a branch of the Cincinnati Aviation Units, began flying at the airport.[23] Carl Hageman of 2978 Wardall Avenue was reportedly the first pilot to make a glider flight at the new airport.[23]
The glider club was one of the early pioneers of gliding in the country and was the seventh program of its type in the nation to receive its charter from the National Glider Association and the second in the state of Ohio (the first being in Cleveland).[24] The glider program would become one of the busiest programs at the airport in its early years.[24][25][26] The group went on to form Glider Clubs in Middletown and Hamilton in 1929.[24]
The airport began to advertise their services, hoping to build on the aviation excitement in the area.[27][28] In these early days, the airport was called "Frank Airport" but seemed to be used interchangeably with the "Western Hills Airport".[22]
The official opening was again announced for May,[22] June,[29] and August.[30][31] Finally, the day for the official opening came: Saturday, August 10, 1929.[31][32]
The famous Air Pullman plane called the Sohio arrived and was on display.[31] This airplane was a red, white, and blue 6-seater monoplane that was similar to Charles Lindbergh's "Spirit of St. Louis" yet had a larger engine and was used by the Standard Oil of Ohio to promote the company and aviation.[31] This plane would become a frequent visitor to the airport in months to come.[33] Invitations were sent to prominent community members and numerous individuals were taken up in flights.[31] L. J. Mueller, a local businessman, was the master of ceremonies of the event that began at 2:30p.m. and began by introducing the airport officials.[31] An official from the Ohio State Department of Aeronautics addressed the crowd and released the visitors to view a demonstration of the airplanes flying and performing aerobatics and all were invited to tour the facilities.[31] Captain Robert Rockwell, famous member of the La Fayette Escadrille and aviation instructor made remarks.[18]
The events bled over into the following day when Frank Manson, parachute supervisor of Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio instructed William Fowler, a student aviator, in a parachute jump.[34]
It was reported in the Western Hills Press the next week that "thousands" visited the airport's grand opening, and more than 200 airplane rides were given over that weekend:.[35] An additional airplane from the Dixie Davis Airport was brought in to help with the large crowds hoping for a ride.[35] Though the officers would change frequently, the officers of Frank Airport, Inc. at the time of the official opening on August 10, 1929, were[18]
Harry A. Frank, President and General Manager
Abbot A. Thayer, Vice President and Sales Manager (an engineering graduate of Harvard University)
In the early months of the airport's life, the leadership ran "Women's Aviation Contests" in which women between the ages of 18 and 24 were invited to write an essay of 500 to 1000 words in length about "Frank Airport and its relation to the progress of the Western Hills and the development of aviation".[36] The first-place winner of the contest would win a $325 course in flying at Frank Airport.[36] Ten other prizes totaling $1,000 in value would be divided up in aeronautical instruction.[36] The first 25 women to submit their essays would be given a "free airplane ride over the Western Hills".[35][36] Essay judges were announced as:
Dorothy Goodwin, aviation editor of the Cincinnati Times-Star
Mrs. L. J. Mueller, president of the Westwood Parent and Teachers' Association and member of the Westwood Women's Club
Judge George F. Eyrich, Jr., president of the Westwood Civic Association and former owner of the land the airport was located upon
Walter Lay, president of the Western Hills Business Association
Judge Alfred K. Nippert, chairman of the Western Hills Viaduct Association[37]
The contest ran from August 16 through August 31, 1929, and the announcement of the winners was scheduled for Friday, September 7.[37][38]
Virgie Frank, wife of Harry A. Frank and Treasurer for the organization, volunteered to be in the first class to learn to fly, alongside the female winners of the contest.[37]
At the time of the opening, there were three modern buildings on the property: A metal hangar (100 ft x 60 ft), an adjoining office building and machine shop (60 ft by 30 ft), and a restaurant that was touted as having the "most modern cooking equipment".[18] The machine shop was marketed as a repair and painting facility for both automobiles and airplanes.[18] It was equipped with tools and machines to rebuild and repair both mechanical or electrical parts of automobiles or airplanes.[18] It also contained spraying, rubbing, and polishing machines for servicing and refinishing the surfaces of these vehicles.[18] The phone number for Frank Airport, Inc. was Harrison 3005 and the community was urged to call, "day or night".[18]
Airplane rides started at $2.00 and tempted local residents to "See the Western Hills from the air!" because "You will never appreciate the full beauty of the Western Hills until you have viewed them from the air".[18] "Be modern and air-minded", stated the advertisements.[18]
On August 16, 1929, E. F. Skockdopole, former chief pilot at the Mt. Healthy Airport became the new chief pilot at the Frank Airport.[39] Mr. Skockdopole had graduated from the University of Minnesota, "served in the Army Signal Corps, patrolled the Mexican border for smugglers, owned his own air circus, and was instrumental in establishing the St. Louis-Chicago mail route of Lindbergh fame".[39] The pilot Thomas Cushman, who had been doing a majority of flying at the airport, stayed on payroll and worked together with Mr. Skockdopole.[39]
Dangers of flight
In those early days, flying was a dangerous sport. During the first few months of operation, there were at least three crashes with zero reported injuries.[40][41][42]
On May 30, 1929, an International plane with a pilot and two passengers clipped high-tension lines near the airport when taking off. The pilot stated they came upon an air pocket, hit the wires, and crashed into a wheat field nearby. The crash broke the propeller and landing gear.[40]
On October 14, 1929, pilot instructor Thomas Cushman (21 years of age), together with student George Waltz (20 years old at the time), ran into a radio aerial and crashed.[41] Waltz suffered a badly bruised nose while Cushman reportedly had no injuries.[43] The crash occurred just two blocks from the student's home.[41] The crash utterly destroyed the plane.[43]
And then on March 1, 1930, pilot George H Liebel made a forced landing in a cornfield near Shandon, Ohio due to weather.[42]
Deputy sheriffs reported to the press that pilot Thomas Cushman and student pilot John Hunt had taken off from Frank Airport prior their plane crashing in the Big Miami River. A retraction was printed on May 28, 1930, that identified the plane as having originated from the West Cincinnati Airport.[44]
Receivership
The looping airplanes and exciting parachute jumps would soon have a shadow cast over this fun when, in June 1930, Dr. Earl S. Simmonds, owner of the airport land who was leasing the property to Frank Airport, Inc. filed a suit in Common Pleas Court on June 20, 1930, and requested that a receiver be appointed for the airport.[45] Dr. Simmonds also cancelled the lease and stated that the lease arranged at $100 a month from March 1, 1929, to that date had never been paid and that Frank Airport, Inc. owed him $1900 in rent and $1290.40 for taxes and other expenses.[45]
Additionally, it was stated that the company borrowed $2,000 from the Western Bank & Trust Company that Dr. Simmonds co-signed for and was past-due.[45] Simmonds stated that the company was operating at a loss of approximately $600 each month throughout the first half of 1930.[45][46] Attorney John W. Cowell was appointed as receiver by the Judge Dennis J. Ryan.[45][47] Then on October 29, 1929, the U.S. stock market crashed, plunging the country into the Great Depression.
Western Hills Airport era (1930–1941)
As the airport continued its operations under the name, Western Hills Airport, operations were turned over to Mr. Mel Wood.[48] From 1930 on, the airport hosted weekly activities including aerial stunt maneuvers, parachute jumping, mystery races, and a bomb dropping contest.[49][50] The airport would also host hangar dances supported by orchestra music.[50] The Albatross Birdmen Glider Club was also active during this time and amazed viewers until the club moved from the Western Hills Airport in the fall of 1936 to Watson Airport. This move was made due to the need for more room. The club flew gliders with and without motors and the director, Melvin O. Wood, instructed students in glider flight.[51]
The airport also worked hard to attract women into the sport of flying. Numerous articles and advertisements can be found in both The Cincinnati Enquirer and The Western Hills Press during this time inviting women to take lessons at the airport.[27][36][37][52]
The airport was trying to make a name for itself as a repair station hub for the area.[50] Fred Jolly, a licensed aeronautical engineer, engine mechanic, and pilot, was heading up this work at this time.[53] He was formerly the chief engineer for States Aircraft Corporation in Chicago and then later the Aircraft Corporation of America in Indianapolis, Indiana. He also managed airfields in both Illinois and New York.[50] The flight program at this time was being managed by John P. Sutherland, who had instructed students in numerous schools and had a wide range of experience in "barnstorming" and served as a test pilot for Cloud Aircraft Corporation prior to coming to the Western Hills Airport.[50]
If one would talk to any former pilot at the airport, they would inevitably end up talking about "6974", a red 1928 Waco 10 airplane owned by pilot Howard Geiger.[54] It played a role in ferrying people and supplies during the Ohio River flood of 1937 and had roughly 1300 hours of flight time in the aircraft before selling it to John Hatz on December 7, 1941.[54] The airplane changed hands at some point and is now owned by George M. Jenkins and resides today at the Eagles Mere Air Museum in Laporte, Pennsylvania.[55]
There were several tragedies at the airport during this time. In June 1933, a gasoline stove exploded and burned pilot Fred Jolly. Mr. Jolly suffered numerous burns and was off work under a physician's care for nearly a month.[56] On July 14, 1940, there was a fatal crash of a two-passenger Moncoupe in which both the pilot and passenger were killed on impact.[57] The victims were pilot Charles Rentz (27 years old who lived at 856 Foley Road) and passenger Walter Ludwig (18 years old who lived at 109 Neeb Road).[57] The plane was reportedly returning from Maysville, Kentucky where the two pilots were visiting a fellow pilot.[57] They had taken off from the Western Hills Airport at about 3pm that afternoon, flew to Maysville, and then were returning around 8pm that evening.[57] They were making a final turn to land when it went into a spin from about 500 feet and crashed in a ball of flames, approximately 700 feet from the field hangar.[57] The entire plane was reported to have been enveloped in flames in under two minutes.[57] Witnesses called the Cheviot Fire Department, but the bodies were burned beyond recognition.[57] The firemen were required to saw through the metal frame of the airplane to extricate the deceased pilots.[57] There were approximately 30 individuals at the airport who observed the crash but soon hundreds of spectators flocked to the field.[57] The crowd reportedly grew so large that it was said that two aircraft were circling, unable to land.[57] Airport staff were then able to clear the field in about 15 minutes so the planes could land.[57] Charlie Rentz had graduated from the Automotive High School's aviation division in 1932 and had over 800 hours logged in the air.[57] Ludwig and Rentz had been in business together and operated a garage at 4914 Glenway Avenue.[57] Upon investigation of the federal Air Safety Board (precursor to the FAA), it was discovered that the plane had not been properly certified by the Air Safety Board.[57] Additionally, though Mr. Rentz possessed a federal pilot's license, he was only permitted to fly solo and was not permitted to carry passengers.[57]
In August 1941, the Western Hills Airport was briefly considered as a proposed site for an auxiliary airfield (what would later become CVG) to Lunken Airport but was deemed to be too small for future growth.[58]
Then on December 7, 1941, the United States was rocked as the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The next day, the U.S. and Britain would declare war on Japan, beginning the U.S. involvement in World War II. Shortly after the U.S. entered the war, many pilots and men were called to the fight, and fuel and supplies were prohibited to support the war effort. The Western Hills Airport would go mostly quiet, and the Albatross Glider Club disbanded.[59] The glider was sold to Ohio State University, and it was believed that the government took control of the gliders during this time.[60]
With the Western Hills Airport largely unused at this time, and many of the pilots off at war, the country was considering how they might best be able to support the war efforts. On October 18, 1942, The Executive Committee of the Miami University Building Committee in Oxford, Ohio authorized the purchase of the metal hangar at Western Hills Airport for $3,000.[61]
In January 1943, the hangar was disassembled and then reassembled at the Miami University Airport in Oxford to support the training of pilots for the military efforts.[62][63] A "notch" was cut out of the hangar to accommodate the larger planes being used at that time.[54] In 2012, the hangar at Miami University Airport was updated and dedicated to Robert C. "Bob" Younts.[64] A special naming ceremony was held on Saturday, November 3, 2012.[65]
Cheviot Airport era (1945–1949)
As World War II came to a close, Al Weinberg (who was 27 years old at the time and had learned to fly at the airport in 1935) reopened on August 12, 1945,[66] and leased the property again from Dr. E. S. Simmonds.[59]Cheviot Mayor Edward C. Gingerich was invited and took the first flight over the city.[59] The airport would open under the new name, Cheviot Airport.[59] Mr. Weinberg had been a veteran flight instructor in the U.S. Army Air Corps for 4 years and was honorably discharged in October 1944.[59] He had instructed on glider flight at numerous locations and taught cadets for a year at Lunken Airport in Cincinnati.[59] Weinberg planned to devote the airport's operation to commercial services including flight training, city-to-city charter flights, aircraft maintenance, and hangar rental.[59] Weinberg re-opened the airport with three airplanes to be used for training: One Piper Cub and two Taylorcraft airplanes.[59] Though the original metal hangar had been removed and moved to the Miami University Airport in 1943, Weinberg added several T-hangars for private owners to rent and store their airplanes.[59] Building of these hangars was slow as many materials were prohibited for use during the war for the sake of conservation for the effort and the supply chain took some time to re-start.[59] The north-south and east-west runways were both approximately 1700 feet long and were planned to be lengthened to 2250 long to accommodate the larger airplanes being built at that time.[59]
In January, 1946, a fire believed to be started by an overheated stove ripped through the frame office building at the Cheviot Airport, destroying many of airport's records.[67] Firefighters fought the fire and prevented the three planes stored near the office from being damaged.[67]
In March 1946, The Cincinnati Enquirer ran an article entitled, "Master Plan Depicts Cincinnati as Center of Air Traffic".[68] A map featured the 21 airports (including the Western Hills/Cheviot Airport) in the airport planned to support the city as an aviation hub for the region.[68] This plan was prepared by the Master Planning Division for the City of Cincinnati and was requested by the Civil Aeronautics Administration.[68] The largest airfields at that time were noted as the Cincinnati Airport at Boone County (Later to become the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, "CVG") and Lunken Airport.[68] The region noted that there were 36,485 air passengers handled by Lunken Airport in 1940 and the plan projected an increase to 500,000 by 1956.[68] This airport study was required by the CAA in order to qualify for Federal funding for the construction of what was then planned to be the "master airport" to be placed in Blue Ash.[68] The City of Cincinnati began courting major airlines to come to the city and they also hoped air cargo and freight would be handled by the area.[68] In June 1946, three airlines – Delta, American, and Trans World – announced that they would be leaving Cincinnati's Lunken Airport and would be moving to the Boone County Airport under a five year contract.[68] Throughout the summer of 1946, the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky parties would debate whether the "master airport" would land in Ohio (Blue Ash) or Kentucky (Boone County).[68] On August 17, 1946, the CAA approved the City's master plan and granted permission to activate development of the Blue Ash master airport but pulled up short of committing to funding the project.[69] The CAA recommended that the Blue Ash Airport construction be delayed until the new Boone County Airport could no longer accommodate the required air traffic.[69] See City Plan for Cincinnati.
In June 1946, advertisements were still being run in the local papers for purchasing airplanes and learning how to fly at the airport.[70] But the activity at the airport was notably decreased. As the rural land was slowly being taken over by suburban homes,[71] local residents didn't take as fondly to the low-flying planes in the area. Numerous complaints and reports were made and articles can be found in the local papers in 1946[72] and 1947[73] about airplanes buzzing the roofs of homes on Bridgetown Road (4178, 5857), Eyrich Avenue (3736, 3705), and Race Road (4072) and destroying the "Sabbath calm in Bridgetown".[72][73] The blame was often placed on student flyers and they were cautioned by the owners of the airport to take a different course the next time[72][73]
On October 27, 1946, the Boone County Airport, now officially called the "Greater Cincinnati Airport" was dedicated and opened amongst fanfare and excitement, especially those from Northern Kentucky.[74] This marked the completion of the $4,000,000 project and what would become the primary passenger airport for the region even to present date.[74]
Though there was never any formal closing of the Cheviot Airport ever noted in any of the local papers, the flying at the western Hamilton County's first airport was practically wound down by the close of 1947. Researchers have been unable to find any advertisements or other articles in The Western Hills Press or The Cincinnati Enquirer after this time. From time-to-time, articles would reference the airport when describing locations of fires or newly built houses for sale as being near the old Cheviot Airport, but no indication of much life at the airport (at least in the local papers).[75]
Deed Restriction
This property shall be used for residence purposes only, and shall sold to, leased to, or occupied by persons only of the Caucasian or White Race. However, a profession may be carrier on in connection with the owners' or tenants' occupancy.
Then on March 29, 1950, Dr. E. S. Simmonds sold the 50 acres of land to the Albert T. Childs Construction Company.[76] It was later noted on September 7, 1950[77] and September 29, 1953,[78] R. E. Simmonds, Jr. sold additional plots of land to Brune-Harpenau Builders, Inc., Hildreth M. Childs, and Albert T. Childs, Jr.[77][78] Though illegal at the time, R. E. Simmonds, Jr. conveyed the land while placing the restriction upon the agreement that the land was to be "sold to, leased to, or occupied by persons only of the Caucasian or White Race".[77][78] In 1948 (Shelley v. Kraemer), the U.S. Supreme Court case held that these types of restrictive covenants were unconstitutional and violated the equal protection provision of the Fourteenth Amendment. Though technically unenforceable and unconstitutional, this was not an uncommon practice at this time and was a common method used by developers and traditionally White residents for maintaining segregated residential neighborhoods. Additionally, housing advertisements ran in The Cincinnati Enquirer as late as 1965 indicating where Black people could live and where they could not. Houses would be listed for sale in the paper as houses for "Coloreds". The restricted covenant put in place by R. E. Simmonds, Jr. would effectively segregate hundreds of small, middle-class, affordable homes in Bridgetown for decades to come.
Visualization of housing development from Hamilton County Auditor's website.
Though houses were built on the land surrounding the airport slowly throughout the late 1940s (approximately 40 from 1945 to 1949), the majority of houses (over 230) were built between the years of 1950 through 1954.[79] By the mid-1950s, the rolling hills and any remnants or the old airport were covered up by rows upon rows of suburban homes.[79]
February 27 & March 9, 1926 – Judge George F. Eyrich, Jr. and Ida (Reinhart) Eyrich adopted the plot of subdivision and dedicated the roads to public use (Included Coral Gables Road, Neiheisel Road, Eyrich Road, Lakewood Road, Coolidge Road (No longer in existence), Church Hill Road, Harding Road (Originally went from Eyrich to Neiheisel to Coral Gables Road but now just goes between Neiheisel and Eyrich), Hollywood Road (No longer in existence) and Bolte Road[85]
Frank Airport era
November 9, 1928 – Approximately 50 acres was purchased by Dr. E. S. Simmonds and Harry A. Frank. Originally planned to be called the "Western Hills Airport"[12]
December 1, 1928 – Earl S. Simmonds entered a 3-year lease from December 1, 1928, of a tract of land in Cheviot Heights subdivision with Frank Airport for an annual rent of $1200 (with a privilege of purchase set at $22,000)[86]
March 24, 1929 – Work progresses on local flying field. Airplanes began flying.[22]
April 4, 1929 – Incorporation paperwork was filed with the Ohio Secretary of State to incorporate Frank Airport, Inc. and invested $60,000 by R.E. Simmonds Jr., Frank J. Richter, and William S. Schwartz[14][16]
May 3, 1929 – Completion of hangar; Cincinnati Glider Club began using airfield[23]
May 5, 1929 – The Cincinnati Glider Club was flying at Frank Airport, piloted by Lieutenant John Moinichen[26]
May 26, 1929 – The Cincinnati Glider Club was flying at Frank Airport, piloted by William Fowler and made a record glider flight[25]
May 30, 1929 – A plane clipped high-tension wires near the airport and crashed[87]
June 23, 1929 – More successful glider flights[88]
July 21, 1929 – More successful glider flights[89]
August 2, 1929 – Large Plane, postponed grand opening until August 10, 1929[31]
August 4, 1929 – More successful glider flights[90]
August 9, 1929 – Program Set For Formal Airfield Dedication[17]
August 10, 1929 – Frank Airport pilot set to fly airplane for contest[91]
August 10, 1929 – Formal opening of Frank Airport, Inc.[17]
August 16, 1929 – Air-Minded Girls Answer Call – Women urged to fly and Mrs. Harry Frank joined first aviation class[37]
August 17, 1929 – Frank Airport, Inc. sued by International Aircraft Company for $657.92[92]
August 18, 1929 – Glider contest held at airport[93]
August 23, 1929 – Pilots to compete nationally[94]
September 8, 1929 – The "Sohioan Standard Oil Air Pullman" visited the Frank Airport. It was the big sister ship to the "Spirit of St. Louis" and carried six passengers.[95]
June 20, 1930 – Frank Airport was in receivership of John Cowell and operated by Mel Wood[103][48]
1932 – Aerial Photograph of Western Hills Airport and surrounding area[19]
January 16, 1932 – Western Hills Viaduct opened[104]
May 28, 1933 – Aviation attractions at Western Hills Airport[49]
June 4, 1933 – Western Hills Airport "dog fights", "stunts", "Parachuting", "a dance in the hangar" and "orchestra music" (TCE, June 4, 1933).[50]
July, 1933 – Stove at WHA exploded and burned pilot Fred Jolly[56]
April 14, 1935 – "Women are best students, Flying instructor Avers"[27]
August 16, 1936 – Albatross Birdman glider club installed motored plane[51]
September 20, 1936 – Birdmen Glider Club moves from WHA to Watson Airport[105]
1940 – Laying corner stone for Oak Hills Methodist Church[106]
July 14, 1940 – Fiery crash at WHA, pilot and passenger killed[57]
August 26, 1940 – Officers elected for new Cincinnati Parachute Club that jumped at WHA on Sundays[107]
August 26, 1941 – WHA considered briefly by Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA) as a proposed site for an auxiliary airfield to Lunken Airport but deemed too small (would later become CVG)[58]
Early 1942 – The Western Hills Airport was discontinued shortly before the outbreak of World War II.[108]
The Albatross Glider Club also disbanded at the onset of World War II. The glider was then sold to Ohio State University when the federal government restricted flying during the war. It was believed that the government then took control of the gliders[109]
October 18, 1942 – The Executive Committee of the Miami University Building Committee authorized the purchase of the metal hangar at the Western Hills Airport for $3,000.[61]
January 5, 1943 – Planes moved to WHA from Lunken while Lunken flooded[110]
Early 1943 – hangar disassembled and moved to Miami University Airport in Oxford[63] (Per Dean A. Etter (contacted on Facebook), his late cousin "Bob Baumann" (1917-2015). His construction company took the Western Hills Airport hangar down piece by piece and marked them for reassembly.)[62]
Cheviot Airport era (1945–1949)
August 12, 1945 – Cheviot Airport reopens for first time since the war began, operated by Albert O. Weinberg, former flying instructor in the Army. Plans were to resume charter trips, student instruction, and a new hangar, lengthening N/S and E/W runways and even build a diagonal runway.[111]
August 12, 1945 – Airport re-opens under name "Cheviot Airport", operated by then aged 27, Al Weinberg of Northside and veteran Army Air Force flight instructor who had learned to fly at the Western Hills Airport in 1935. He had been honorably discharged in October 1944. He was also a glider pilot instructor at flight schools in Minnesota and Fort Still, Oklahoma (where he instructed for the "Grasshopper Squadron"). He also taught acrobatic and advanced flying in Cadillac, Michigan and then a year at Lunken Airport teaching cadets. It was stated that the airport would be devoted entirely to commercial operation. Flight Instruction was offered to the public using a Piper Cub and two Taylorcraft aircraft. The airport planned to build new hangars but were delayed due to wartime restrictions. They operated with an office building purchased from Parks Watson who operated Blue Ash Airport at the time. Mr. Weinberg leased the 40-acre site from Dr. E.S. Simmonds and the land included two runways each about 1700 feet long and had plans to extend to 2250 to accommodate most aircraft. The Mayor Edward C. Gingerich had been invited to inaugurate the opening by taking the first flight over Cheviot.[59]
December 10, 1945 – Officers Halt Low Flying After Cheviot Man Kicks About Chimney Flirtation over 5673 Biscayne Avenue.[112]
December 16, 1945 – Selling Piper Cub Sport at Cheviot Airport[113]
January 22, 1946 – A fire damaged the frame office building at the Cheviot Airport and was believed to be started by an overheated stove. The fire destroyed many of the airport's records. The fire did not damage the hangar or aircraft located approximately 100 feet away.[67]
March 28, 1946 – Master Plan Depicts Cincinnati As Center Of Air Traffic.[68]
May 26, 1947 – Brick homes for sale in Bridgetown next to Cheviot Airport[71]
October 20, 1947 – Bridgetown Airplane Buzzing Houses.[73]
Subdivision development era
March 24, 1950 – High Winds Set Eight Fires In Western Part Of County, "a seven-acre blaze at old Cheviot Airport"[75]
March 29, 1950 – 50 acres sold by Dr. Simmonds to Albert T. Childs Construction.[76]
September 7, 1950 – R. E. Simmonds, Jr. sold to Brune-Harpenau Builders, Inc., Hildreth M. Childs and Albert T. Childs, Jr. with the conveyance being made subject to being restricted to being "sold to, leased to or occupied by persons only of the Caucasian or White Race" (Deed Book 2439, Pages 116-118, Hamilton County Recorder's Office).[7]
September 29, 1953 – R. E. Simmonds, Jr. sold Brune-Harpenau Builders, Inc., Hildreth M. Childs and Albert T. Childs, Jr. with the conveyance being made subject to being restricted to being "sold to, leased to or occupied by persons only of the Caucasian or White Race" (Deed Book 2607, Deed Page 167, Hamilton County Recorder's Office).[7]
Other facts later reported
April 12, 1978 – The Albatross Glider Club was featured in The Western Hills Press (The Western Hills Press, April 12, 1978).
The airport used a beacon light to navigate to the airport (The Western Hills Press, April 12, 1978).
Members of the Albatross Glider Club included Arthur Bidlingmeyer (Mack), Carl Hagemann, and Clifford Knosp (Delhi).[60]
November 1990, "Pilots Reunite To Share Memories".[115]
1997 – "Memories of Brick and Steel". "…Powell's father, a flying enthusiast, painted an arrow on top of the building pointing to the Cheviot Airport. Since there were no natural markers to direct pilots in the direction of Cheviot's airport, they used Powell's arrow to point themselves in the right direction. "You knew if you lined yourself up with the arrow it would take you right into the airport…."[116]
Mr. Howard K. May remembered watching the airplanes at the airport when he was a kid. Later he came back to the Western Hills Airport and taught many people how to fly. In addition to teaching many people at the airport, Mr. May said he taught over 400 other students. Mr. May also remembered owning a Fairchild 24 and a Surplus Stearman.[117]
Mr. Goodfellow remembered Lawrence Road being a dirt road and picking blueberries as a child in a field near the Western Hills Airport.[118]
Mrs. Lillian Sweeney remembered after the airport was gone and the beacon still stood on the property. She stated that when her family was coming into the house (3670 Coral Gables) late at night, they would wait for the beacon light to swing around and shine on the door to find the keyhole. She also remembered her three sons, Bob, Tom, and Mike Sweeney, riding their bikes as kids on the foundation where the hangar had been[119]
Notes
↑ The approximate location described can be viewed via Google Maps.
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1 2 3 4 5 "Airport For Western Hills Assured With Closing of Deal By Local Men; To Provide Complete Air Facilities". The Western Hills Press. November 9, 1928.
"Ohio Charters". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Vol.86, no.95. April 5, 1929. p.14. Retrieved September 4, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Cincinnati-Frank Airport, Inc. $60,000 and 100 shares no par value; R.E. Simmonds Jr., Frank J. Richter, and William S. Schwartz
1 2 3 "Girls! Here Is Your Chance To Fly". The Western Hills Press. August 16, 1929.
1 2 3 4 5 "Western Hills Press, Women's Aviation Contest". The Western Hills Press. August 16, 1929.
1 2 3 4 5 "Air-Minded Girls Answer Call – Women urged to fly and Mrs. Harry Frank joined first aviation class". The Western Hills Press. August 16, 1929.
↑ "This Is Your Last Chance, Girls". The Western Hills Press. September 6, 1929.
1 2 3 "Chief Pilot. Duties At Frank Airport Are Taken Over By Veteran E.F. Skockdopole". The Western Hills Press. August 16, 1929.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Cheviot Airport To Open, Sunday On Louisville Pike". The Western Hills Press. August 10, 1945.
1 2 "Bridgetown home base for pioneer pilots". The Western Hills Press. April 12, 1978.
1 2 "Minutes of Meeting of Miami University Building Committee, Provided by Shirley Younts". November 7, 1942.
1 2 Etter, Dean A. (2021). "Interview, hangar disassembled and moved to Miami University Airport in Oxford, his late cousin "Bob Baumann" (1917-2015). His construction company took the Western Hills Airport hangar down piece by piece & marked".
↑ "The "Sohioan Standard Oil Air Pullman" visited the Frank Airport. It was the big sister ship to the "Spirit of St. Louis" and carried six passengers". The Western Hills Press. September 6, 1929.
↑ "The Western Hills Airport was discontinued shortly before the outbreak of the War [WW2]". The Western Hills Press. August 10, 1945.
↑ "The Albatross Glider Club also disbanded at the onset of WW2. The glider was then sold to Ohio State University when the federal government restricted flying during the war. It was believed that the government then took control of the gliders". The Western Hills Press. April 12, 1978.
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