Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Indiana: Eastern Indianapolis area
© 2002, © 2006 by Paul Freeman. Revised 12/17/06.
Eastport Airport (added 8/28/04) - McCordsville Airpark / Brookside Airpark (revised 12/7/06)
Schoen Field (added 8/28/04) - Sky Harbor Airport (revised 12/17/06)
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Eastport Airport, Indianapolis, IN
39.79 North / 86 West (East of Downtown Indianapolis, IN)
Eastport Airport, as seen in a 1941 aerial view from the IN Historical Aerial Archive (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This little general aviation airfield was apparently quite short-lived.
It was not depicted at all on the September 1941 9M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
nor listed among active airports in a 1941 airport directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of Eastport Airport which has been located
was on the above 1941 aerial photo (from the IN Historical Aerial Archive, courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field as having two grass runways, oriented east/west & northeast/southwest,
with several hangars in the middle.
There did not appear to be any aircraft visible on the field.
The earliest chart depiction of Eastport which has been located
was on the April 1943 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Eastport as an auxiliary airfield.
Eastport was still depicted as an auxiliary airfield on the May 1944 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Eastport Airport was evidently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point within the next year,
as it was no longer listed among active airports in the Haire Publishing Company's 1945 Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy),
nor depicted on the September 1948 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The 1984 USGS topo map depicted that the site of the former Eastport Airport
was covered by the Warren Central High School.
As seen in the 1998 USGS aerial photo,
the site of the former Eastport Airport is covered by the Warren Central High School,
and not a trace appears to remain of the former airport.
The site of Eastport Airport is located northeast of the intersection of North Post Road & East 15th Street.
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Schoen Field, Indianapolis, IN
39.85 North / 86.01 West (Northeast of Downtown Indianapolis, IN)
A undated (circa 1930s?) photo of an Army Air Corps fighter at Schoen Field.
A undated (circa 1930s?) photo of an unidentified Army Air Corps plane at Schoen Field.
This military airfield was established in 1922 on the grounds of the Army's Fort Benjamin Harrisson,
an infantry training base (according to the Fort Benjamin Harrison Historical Society).
The Indiana National Guard's 137th Observation Squadron (later redesignated the 113th Observation Squadron)
relocated from Kokomo to Schoen Field in 1926,
before moving again to Stout Field.
The earliest directory reference to the field which has been located
was in The Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airports Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It described Schoen as an auxiliary airfield consisting of an irregularly shaped sod field,
measuring 2,800' across at its widest point.
The field was said to have hangars, one of which had "Schoen Field" painted on the roof.
The earliest chart depiction of Schoen Field which has been located
was on the September 1941 9M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
A 1941 aerial view of Schoen Field, from the IN Historical Aerial Archive (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The field consisted of a pockmarked rectangular grass field,
with a cluster of hangars with checkerboard roof markings on the east side of the field.
It is not apparent if the field was still in use at this point, though,
as there did not appear to be any aircraft on the field.
Schoen Field was evidently closed for some reason during the WW2 years
(possibly due to the Fort having to use the land for other needs),
as it was not depicted at all on the April 1943 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
or the May 1944 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Schoen Field was evidently reopened (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1944-48,
as "Schoen (Army)" was once again depicted on the September 1948 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It was depicted as having a 2,700' unpaved runway.
Schoen Field was evidently closed again (for reasons unknown) at some point after 1948.
It may have been closed by 1951,
when ground was broken for a new Finance Center
(according to the web site of the Fort Benjamin Harrison Historical Society,
the Finance Center occupies the site of the former airfield).
Schoen Field was definitely gone by 1968,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the 1968 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
As seen in the 1998 USGS aerial photo,
the site of the former Schoen Field is occupied by the Fort's Finance Center,
and not a trace appears to remain of the former airport.
The site of Schoen Field is located southwest of the intersection of East 56th Street & North Post Road.
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McCordsville Airpark / Brookside Airpark (I21), Indianapolis, IN
39.91 North / 85.92 West (Northeast of Downtown Indianapolis, IN)
What was originally known as McCordsville Airpark,
as depicted on the 1968 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This is yet another suburban general aviation airport which has been lost to the pressures of development.
McCordsville Airpark was evidently established at some point between 1966-68,
as no airfield at this location was perceptible on a 1956 aerial photo of the property
(from the IN University Electronic Atlas of Central Indiana Historical Aerial Archive, courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
nor was any airfield at this location yet depicted on the 1966 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the 1968 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
which depicted it as McCordsville Airpark.
The Aerodromes table on the chart described McCordsville as having two runways,
with the longest being a 3,100' asphalt strip.
A 1969 aerial view of McCordsville Airpark,
from the IN University Electronic Atlas of Central Indiana Historical Aerial Archive (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The field was depicted to have a paved north/south runway & an unpaved northeast/southwest strip.
Several hangars were located to the east of the runway intersection.
The airport was evidently renamed “Brookside” at some point between 1968-71,
as that is how it was listed in the 1971 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Brookside as having a 3,100' paved Runway 18/36 & a 3,150' unpaved runway 5/23,
and a ramp on the east side of the field with two hangars.
The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury)
described Brookside as having a 3,100' asphalt Runway 18/36 & a 3,200' turf Runway 6/24.
The operator was listed as All-American Air Service.
The airfield diagram of Brookside in the 1987 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
indicated that the number of hangars had been increased to 4.
The operator was listed as Foster Aviation.
In the 1998 USGS aerial photo, the little airport still appeared relatively healthy,
with a total of seven light aircraft visible on the ramp.
A total of four hangars were also situated at the southwest side of the field.
A recent aerial view of Brookside, looking north.
However, within the next three years, the airport had apparently begun a downward slide.
In a circa 2001 aerial photo, not a single plane was visible on the entire field -
it appeared as if it was already closed.
Indianapolis Brookside Airpark was still listed as an active airfield in the 2003 AOPA Airport Directory
with a 3,072' asphalt Runway 18/36 & a 3,152' turf Runway 6/24.
In 2003, the last published Airport/Facility Directory data for Brookside Airpark
listed the owner as the Forth Corporation.
A total of 37 aircraft were listed as being based at Brookside, including 3 helicopters.
The field was listed as conducting an average of 33 aircraft operations per day.
The operator was listed as Giest Air Services,
and the airport manager was listed as Karen Farson.
Brookside Airpark was closed at some point during 2003.
Russ Ryle reported in 2003, “The owner died earlier this year
and his kids did not want anything but the money it was worth dead.
So, they sold the FBO / flight service / training facility for $$$
and have a nice big chunk of land on the market for development.
Sad, but not uncommon.”
A 2006 photo by Zack Tucker, looking west at the remains of Brookside Airpark.
Zack reported, “The airport has been sold off & is now going to be developed for new high-end housing.
I passed by the airport a month ago & there is a large sign by the road with a layout of the housing development;
nothing of the airport will be left when the new houses are built.
The grass runway & cement runways are both still there, but are in terrible shape.
The FBO building is still there, but all of the hangars have been destroyed.
I think they are getting ready to tear down the FBO because there used to be a large truck parked inside,
and there used to be bails of hay piled in the hangar.”
Brookside Airpark is located northwest of the intersection of Route 36 & Mount Comfort Road.
Thanks to Bill Griffith for pointing out this airfield.
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Sky Harbor Airport, Indianapolis, IN
39.8 North / 86.02 West (East of downtown Indianapolis, IN)
Sky Harbor Airport, as depicted on a 1953 Flight Chart (courtesy of Scott O'Donnell).
The date of construction of this former general aviation airport is unknown.
It was apparently built at some point between 1941-43,
as a 1941 aerial photo of the location showed that it was still undeveloped farmland.
The earliest depiction of Sky Harbor Airport which has been located
was on the 1943 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The 1953 Flight Chart (courtesy of Scott O'Donnell) described Sky Harbor as having a 3,500' paved runway.
In the 1956 aerial photo of Sky Harbor
from the Electronic Atlas of Central Indiana (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
it appeared to have at least 6 hangars, and at least 10 aircraft were visible parked outside.
The 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Sky Harbor as having a 3,540' paved Runway 18/36 as well as a 2,600' unpaved Runway 9/27.
Taxiways led to a ramp on the southwest side of the field with a cluster of hangars.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Sky Harbor
as having a 3,540' bituminous Runway 18/36 & a 2,600' sod Runway 9/27.
The operator was listed as Sky Harbor Airport, Inc.
Sky Harbor was still depicted as an active airport on the 1964 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
Sky Harbor was apparently closed at some point between 1964-67,
as the Aerodromes table on the 1967 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy)
described the field as "Permanently closed".
However the airport evidently remained at least in unofficial operation even after it was depicted as closed on the aeronautical charts.
Harold Webb recalled, “On two occasions in the spring of 1968 I chartered aircraft for flights to Detroit... out of Sky Harbor.
On the second flight we had to return because of hydraulic problems with the gear.
I don't know when it was officially closed but I did fly out of there in 1968. ”
Sky Harbor was depicted as an abandoned airfield
on the May 1971 St. Louis Sectional Chart (courtesy of Robert Brown).
Unfortunately, this airport had the misfortune to be located in the path of Interstate 70,
which was built at some point after 1968.
In the 1998 USGS aerial photo,
the area of the former Runway 18/36 was still recognizable as a clear area running north/south in the center of the photo.
However, the interstate bisected the lower end of the former runway.
Harold Webb reported in 2005, “The old airport area just south of Interstate 70 is now home to the Indiana State Police.
North of the Interstate and east of the old runway is a Lowes store.
To the west is a Nike distributor.”
A 2006 aerial photo of the site of Sky Harbor Airport,
annotated by Chris Kennedy to show the outline of the former runway, taxiway, and ramp areas.
A close-up of the 2006 aerial photo,
showing the former airport building which remains standing at the southwest corner of the former airport property.
Leroy Wheeler reported in 2006, “The site is now Post 53 of the Indiana State Police
which also houses the Museum of the Indiana State Police.
There are actually 2 buildings that remain from the old airport.
The 1st one is the one depicted [in the photo above] at the west end,
the 2nd is located about 400' east & is still on the grounds.
The western building was used mainly for maintenance & the middle building was used for hangar space.”
The site of Sky Harbor Airport is located east of the intersection of Interstate 70 & Interstate 465.
Thanks to Jorge Rodriguez for pointing out this field.
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