Lobb Field
Encyclopedia
Lobb Field is a former airport and military airfield located within the city of Rochester, Minnesota
.
. It originally was located in what is now southeast Rochester
and occupied 285 acres (1.2 km²).
The following year the airport was officially dedicated, and the Rochester Airport Company was founded as a subsidiary of the Mayo Foundation. Northwest Airways, a predecessor to Northwest Airlines
and Delta Air Lines
, began running Ford Trimotor
s to Rochester from its hub in St. Paul. Rochester was one of the first destinations from the Twin Cities in Northwest's history, behind Chicago
, Winnipeg
, Green Bay
, and Fargo
.
In 1940, the runways were paved and additional land was acquired, bringing the airport's total area to 370 acres (1.5 km²). During World War II
, the Army Air Corps
conducted training operations from the airport. The Fontana School of Aeronautics provided contract glider training to the United States Army Air Forces
between 1942–1944, using primarily C-47 Skytrains and Waco CG-4 unpowered gliders. There may have been two auxiliary landing fields in this service. The mission of the school was to train glider pilot students in proficiency in operation of gliders in various types of towed and soaring flight, both day and night, and in servicing of gliders in the field.
Returned to civil use in 1945, the Mayo Foundation gave the airport to the city of Rochester, but the Rochester Airport Company continued to operate the field under an agreement with the city. The airport was renamed Lobb Field in 1952. In the 1940s through the 1960s, the airport was served by Braniff Airways
, North Central Airlines
, Ozark Airlines, and other small air carriers, in addition to Northwest.
In 1960 it was decided to replace Lobb Field with a new airport
southwest of the town because it could not be expanded to accommodate the larger airliners and was too close to the urban area of Rochester. The original Rochester Airport was closed in 1961.
Today, the former airport has been redeveloped as part of the Rochester urban area and little or no evidence of its existence remains.
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
.
History
Lobb Field, the original airport for Rochester, was established in 1928 by the Mayo Foundation as a way to get patients to the Mayo ClinicMayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult patients . Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Mayo Clinic is known for being at the top of...
. It originally was located in what is now southeast Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
and occupied 285 acres (1.2 km²).
The following year the airport was officially dedicated, and the Rochester Airport Company was founded as a subsidiary of the Mayo Foundation. Northwest Airways, a predecessor to Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
and Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
, began running Ford Trimotor
Ford Trimotor
The Ford Trimotor was an American three-engined transport plane that was first produced in 1925 by the companies of Henry Ford and that continued to be produced until June 7, 1933. Throughout its time in production, a total of 199 Ford Trimotors were produced...
s to Rochester from its hub in St. Paul. Rochester was one of the first destinations from the Twin Cities in Northwest's history, behind Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Green Bay
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
, and Fargo
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
.
In 1940, the runways were paved and additional land was acquired, bringing the airport's total area to 370 acres (1.5 km²). During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
conducted training operations from the airport. The Fontana School of Aeronautics provided contract glider training to the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
between 1942–1944, using primarily C-47 Skytrains and Waco CG-4 unpowered gliders. There may have been two auxiliary landing fields in this service. The mission of the school was to train glider pilot students in proficiency in operation of gliders in various types of towed and soaring flight, both day and night, and in servicing of gliders in the field.
Returned to civil use in 1945, the Mayo Foundation gave the airport to the city of Rochester, but the Rochester Airport Company continued to operate the field under an agreement with the city. The airport was renamed Lobb Field in 1952. In the 1940s through the 1960s, the airport was served by Braniff Airways
Braniff International Airways
Braniff International Airways was an American airline that operated from 1928 until 1982, primarily in the midwestern and southwestern U.S., South America, Panama, and in its later years also Asia and Europe...
, North Central Airlines
North Central Airlines
North Central Airlines was founded as Wisconsin Central Airlines in 1944 in Clintonville, Wisconsin. It was headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.-Early history:...
, Ozark Airlines, and other small air carriers, in addition to Northwest.
In 1960 it was decided to replace Lobb Field with a new airport
Rochester International Airport
Rochester International Airport is a nonhub primary airport located seven miles southwest of the central business district of Rochester, a city in Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States. It is the second busiest commercial airport in Minnesota...
southwest of the town because it could not be expanded to accommodate the larger airliners and was too close to the urban area of Rochester. The original Rochester Airport was closed in 1961.
Today, the former airport has been redeveloped as part of the Rochester urban area and little or no evidence of its existence remains.
See also
- Minnesota World War II Army AirfieldsMinnesota World War II Army AirfieldsDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Force established numerous airfields in Minnesota for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers....