Holmes Airport
Encyclopedia
Holmes Airport was a small airport that opened in 1929 in the Jackson Heights
neighborhood of Queens
in New York City
.
Real estate developer E. H. Holmes built the airport on approximately 220 acres (89 hectares) of undeveloped land. He organized and sold stock in Holmes Airport, Inc., but claimed that some wanted to see him fail. In February, 1929, Clarence D. Chamberlin, the aviatrix Viola Gentry
, and Dorothy Stone, actress and daughter of Fred Stone
, broke ground for the new airport. It had two hangars, an office, and two gravel runways, of 2,800 feet (853 meters) and 3,000 feet (914 meters) in length, respectively.
The new airport opened on Saturday, March 16, 1929, attracting 100,000 visitors on its second day of operation. Later that year, the first scheduled flights from New York City began when Eastern Air Express started a two-day service to Miami from Holmes.
In April 1930, thousands of people paid $1.00 for a ride in an airplane. It was promoted as an experiment to ascertain whether it was fear or the expense that kept the public from flying.
On Sunday, November 11, 1934, sixty-four airplanes took part in a 30-mile (48 km) novelty race involving a treasure hunt and pie-eating contest, the winner returning in 28 minutes.
Blimp
s also used the airport. Goodyear
erected a 220-foot (67-meter) long hangar in 1931 and conducted sightseeing flights. In 1936, a Goodyear blimp
based at Holmes Airport provided the first aerial traffic reports.
In 1937, the airport's owners sought a court injunction to stop New York City from spending $8,444,300 to develop what would become LaGuardia Airport
only a mile or so to the northeast. Supreme Court Justice Ernest E. L. Hammer denied the request. LaGuardia Airport opened in 1939 and Holmes Airport closed the following year.
The northern portion of Holmes Airport's land was later developed into the Bulova
watch factory site.
Jackson Heights, Queens
Jackson Heights is a neighborhood in the Northwestern portion of the borough of Queens in New York, New York, United States. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 3...
neighborhood of Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Real estate developer E. H. Holmes built the airport on approximately 220 acres (89 hectares) of undeveloped land. He organized and sold stock in Holmes Airport, Inc., but claimed that some wanted to see him fail. In February, 1929, Clarence D. Chamberlin, the aviatrix Viola Gentry
Viola Gentry
Viola Gentry was an American aviator, best known for setting the first non-refueling endurance record for women.-Early life:Gentry was born in Rockingham, North Carolina...
, and Dorothy Stone, actress and daughter of Fred Stone
Fred Stone
Fred Andrew Stone was an American actor. Stone began his career as a performer in circuses and minstrel shows, went on to act on vaudeville, and became a star on Broadway and in feature films, which earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.-Biography:He was particularly famous for appearing...
, broke ground for the new airport. It had two hangars, an office, and two gravel runways, of 2,800 feet (853 meters) and 3,000 feet (914 meters) in length, respectively.
The new airport opened on Saturday, March 16, 1929, attracting 100,000 visitors on its second day of operation. Later that year, the first scheduled flights from New York City began when Eastern Air Express started a two-day service to Miami from Holmes.
In April 1930, thousands of people paid $1.00 for a ride in an airplane. It was promoted as an experiment to ascertain whether it was fear or the expense that kept the public from flying.
On Sunday, November 11, 1934, sixty-four airplanes took part in a 30-mile (48 km) novelty race involving a treasure hunt and pie-eating contest, the winner returning in 28 minutes.
Blimp
Blimp
A blimp, or non-rigid airship, is a floating airship without an internal supporting framework or keel. A non-rigid airship differs from a semi-rigid airship and a rigid airship in that it does not have any rigid structure, neither a complete framework nor a partial keel, to help the airbag...
s also used the airport. Goodyear
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
erected a 220-foot (67-meter) long hangar in 1931 and conducted sightseeing flights. In 1936, a Goodyear blimp
Goodyear Blimp
The Goodyear Blimp is the collective name for a fleet of blimps operated by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for advertising purposes and for use as a television camera platform for aerial views of sporting events...
based at Holmes Airport provided the first aerial traffic reports.
In 1937, the airport's owners sought a court injunction to stop New York City from spending $8,444,300 to develop what would become LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
only a mile or so to the northeast. Supreme Court Justice Ernest E. L. Hammer denied the request. LaGuardia Airport opened in 1939 and Holmes Airport closed the following year.
The northern portion of Holmes Airport's land was later developed into the Bulova
Bulova
Bulova is a corporation making luxury watches and clocks. It has its headquarters in Woodside, Queens, New York City.Bulova was founded and incorporated as the J. Bulova Company in 1875 by Joseph Bulova , an immigrant from Bohemia...
watch factory site.