US Airport Dedication Covers

web-catalog US Airport Dedication Covers - Illinois

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Page DED-IL (Revised 09/05/2008)

History of Aviation
        W Herman Black was the advertising manager of the Milwaukee Journal. To stimulate the publicity of the emerging aeroplane phenomenon, the Journal sponsored the flight of aviator Farnum Fish from Cicero Field Chicago IL skirting along Lake Michigan to Milwaukee WI. On February 25, 1912 Fish flew 93 miles non-stop in his standard Wright B Flyer carrying a mail pouch with Milwaukee Journal newspapers and correspondence.
        Frank H Hitchcock, the Postmaster General of Chicago established a postal sub-station at Cicero Flying Field. Similarly, the postmasters of Elmhurst and Wheaton authorized the interchange of mail between these three locations.
        The Triple City Aviation Meet (May 30 - June 2, 1912) had the theme "Historical Progress Day." Aviator, George Mestach flew his Morane-Borel monoplane, Paul Studensky flew the Beech-National biplane, Otto W Brodie gave passenger flights in his Farman biplane and Max Lillie gave student aviator, Katherine Stinson lessons in his Lillie-Wright Model B. Marcel Tournier, Andrew Drew, DeLloyd Thompson and Farnum T Fish also flew.
        In 1912 Chicago had several airfields. Two of these, Cicero Flying Field and Grant Park saw a wealth of early aviation activity. Cicero officially opened on July 4, 1911 and was easily accessable by the Chicago Metropolitan Elevated Railway. With the onset of WW-I, Cicero became a mix of commercial, industrial and residential developments. Ashburn Field became a center for military aviation and Cicero faded from memory.
        The Postmaster of Cicero IL established a postal sub-station at the Cicero Flying Field. During this International Aviation Meet (September 12-15, 1912) several aviators flew from Cicero to Grant Park (near Chicago's downtown) carrying mail. This aviation meet was sponsored by the Aero Club of Illinois (ACI).
        At the completion of the International Aviation Meet in Cicero, a follow-on aviation meet was held at Grant Park. Grant Park (originally Lake Park) was located along the shore of Lake Michigan directly across from Chicago's waterfront, Michigan Avenue. It's beginnings date to 1835 and it was to remain public ground forever to remain vacant of buildings. It was expanded with landfill and in 1912 was used as an airfield.
        For the Grant Park aviation meet Chicago Postmaster, GG Thompson approved the aerial transport of mail by aeroplanes. Several aviators carried mail (September 19-22, 1912) on their flights around the airfield. After landing this mail was taken to the Chicago Post Office. This aviation meet was sponsored by the Aero Club of Illinois (ACI).
        The Postmaster of McLeansboro IL established a postal sub-station at the Fair Grounds McLeansboro IL (September 26-28, 1912). Aviator Horace Kearney flew from the fair grounds about one mile to a point close to the McLeansboro post office where the mail pouch was dropped from the plane. The mail was then retrieved and brought to the post office.
        The State Fair that was to be held in Springfield IL was scheduled for October 4th-12, 1912. The Postmaster of Springfield IL established a postal sub-station at the Fair Grounds Springfield IL. Plans called for mail to be flown from the fair grounds to six nearby communities including Williamsville, Sherman, Chatham, Riverton, Pleasant Plains and Cantrall. On October 8th aviator Edward Korn flying a Benoist tractor-type aeroplane departed for Williamville. A mechanical problem forced him to return to the fair grounds but he crash-landed before making it back. The flown mail was then delivered to the post office. Flying a Curtiss-pusher, Horace Kearney made a successful flight to Williamsville on October 10th. Inclement weather and disabled aeroplanes ended additional flights and all accepted mail was delivered to the post office unflown.

More IL Aviation History

		Aledo	Mercer County Airport
X-173	510930	Alton	Memorial Airport		$26.25
		Apple River	Foster Field
B-451	291020	Arlington Heights	Arlington Heights Airport		$15.00
		Aurora	Chicago-Aurora Municipal Airport
AP-125	680901	Beardstown	Greater Beardstown Airport		$23.00
		Belleville	Scott AFB
A-217	281110	Belvidere	Belvidere Airport		$9.00
		Benton	Municipal Airport
Z-162	531019	Bismarck	Vermilion Airport		$30.00
G-227	341028	Bloomington	Municipal Airport		$3.00
		Bolingbrook	Bolingbrook Clow International Airport
		Cahokia	Saint Louis Downtown Airport
		Cairo	Cairo Regional Airport
AS-093	700913	Canton	Ingersoll Airport		$7.50
A-127	280916	Carbondale	Carbondale Airport		$9.00
C-488	300914	Carbondale	Carbondale Airport		$3.00
W-090	500601	Carbondale	Murdale Airport		$12.00
Y-042	520601	Carbondale	Murdale Airport		$7.50
		Carbondale	Southern Illinois Airport
AG-035	600619	Carmi	Municipal Airport		$6.00
AY-048	760718	Carmi	Municipal Airport		$7.50
B-126	290601	Cary	Cary Airport		$18.75
B-126	290601	Cary	Cary Airport		$18.75
		Casey	Municipal Airport
		Centralia	Municipal Airport
R-081	451026	Champaign	Champaign Airport		$4.50
		Champaign	University of Illinois Airport
Z-072	530704	Charleston	Charleston Airport		$9.00
Z-075	530705	Charleston	Charleston Airport		$9.00
T-154	470622	Chester	Municipal Airport		$26.25
C-203	300608	Chicago	Harlem Airport		$37.50
C-258	311115	Chicago	Municipal Airport		$12.00
N-087	410629	Chicago	Municipal Airport		$7.50
U-145	481210	Chicago	Northerly Air Strip		$3.00
W-140	500630	Chicago	Merrill C Meigs Field		$7.50
AK-010	630323	Chicago	O'Hare International Airport		$9.00
AL-050	640702	Chicago	Heliport		$30.00
AO-107	671004	Chicago	Robert Dean Heliport		$9.00
AP-029	680423	Chicago	Martha Washington Hospital Heliport		$12.00
		Chicago	Chicago Midway Airport
		Chicago	Lansing Municipal Airport
		Columbia	Sackman Field
		Compton	Bresson Airport
AE-070	580913	Crystal Lake	Municipal Airport		$12.00
G-219	341021	Danville	Municipal Airport		$9.00
Z-161	531018	Danville	Vermilion County Airport		$3.00
AAA-015	780820	Danville	Clarence F Carter Field		$4.50
E-113	320825	Decatur	Decatur Airport		$6.00
M-149	400921	Decatur	Seaplane Base		$12.00
B-161	290621	De Kalb	De Kalb Taylor Municipal Airport		$3.00
C-497	300922	Dixon	Dixon Airport		$6.00
G-228	341028	Dixon	Municipal Airport		$9.00
N-067	410530	Du Quoin	Municipal Airport		$3.00
		Dwight	Dwight Airport
		Earlville	Earlville Airport
X-172	510930	East Alton	Memorial Airport		$7.50
AA-091	540926	East Moline	EAst Moline Airport		$6.00
C-265	300628	East Saint Louis	Curtiss-Steinberg Airport		$3.00
C-266	300629	East Saint Louis	Curtiss-Steinberg Airport		$45.00
AN-018	660417	East Saint Louis	Bi-State Parks Airport		$4.50
D-083	310530	Effingham	Government Airport		$3.00
S-049	460530	Effingham	Effingham County Memorial Airport		$15.00
C-206	300610	Elgin	Municipal Airport		$3.00
N-159	410921	Elgin	Kane County Airport		$9.00
N-142	410830	Elmhurst	Elmhurst Airport		$7.50
N-143	410831	Elmhurst	Elmhurst Airport		$7.50
N-144	410901	Elmhurst	Elmhurst Airport		$9.00
		Erie	Erie Air Ultralight Flightpark
		Fairfield	Municipal Airport
AG-087	600927	Flora	Municipal Airport		$15.00
AW-011	740525	Fox River Grove	Eagles Nest Balloon Port		$3.00
		Freeport	Albertus Airport
		Freeport	Freeport-Dornink Airport
D-171	310801	Galesburg	Galesburg Airport		$4.50
D-172	310802	Galesburg	Galesburg Airport		$4.50
		Geneseo	Gen-Airpark Airport
B-446	291020	Glenview	Curtiss-Reynolds Airport		$4.50
J-090	370828	Glenview	Curtiss-Reynolds Airport		$7.50
AR-006	690315	Glenview	US Coast Guard Naval Air Station		$38.00
		Grayslake	Campbell Airport
C-461	300901	Greenville	Municipal Airport		$6.00
		Greenwood	Wonder Lake-Galt Airport
G-220	341021	Harrisburg	Municipal Airport		$7.50
W-191	500820	Harrisburg	Harrisburg-Raleigh Airport		$7.50
		Harvard	Dacy Airport
AA-042	540516	Havana	Municipal Airport		$9.00
AB-012	550201	Herrin	Williamson County Airport	107S55 107N55	$3.00 $4.50
		Highland	Highland-Winet Airport
		Hillsboro	Municipal Airport
C-322	300704	Hinckley	Hinckley Airport		$15.00
E-163	321113	Jacksonville	Jacksonville Airport		$12.00
AC-020	560506	Jacksonville	Municipal Airport		$38.00
AO-052	670628	Jacksonville	Dunseth Heliport		$53.00
C-470	300906	Joliet	Municipal Airport		$7.50
C-471	300907	Joliet	Municipal Airport		$7.50
G-229	341028	Joliet	Joliet Regional Airport		$7.50
AO-030	670531	Joliet	Silvercross Hospital Heliport		$26.25
		Joliet	Empress River Casino Heliport		$26.25
B-186	290704	Kankakee	Kankakee Airport		$3.00
AJ-078	621028	Kankakee	Greater Kankakee Airport		$3.00
C-209	300614	Kewanee	Kawanee Airport		$4.50
C-210	300615	Kewanee	Kawanee Airport		$7.50
AB-055	550704	Kewanee	Municipal Airport		$26.25
AN-092	660904	Kewanee	Municipal Airport		$12.00
X-055	510603	Lacon	Marshall County Airport		$26.25
		Lake in the Hills	Chicago-Lake in the Hills Airport
D-200	310905	Lansing	Skeeter Airport		$15.00
D-201	310906	Lansing	Skeeter Airport		$15.00
D-202	310907	Lansing	Skeeter Airport		$15.00
B-163	290622	La Salle	La Salle-Peru Airport		$7.50
AL-036	640614	Lawrenceville	Lawrenceville-Vincennes International Airport		$12.00
AX-033	750706	Lawrenceville	County Hospital Heliport		$19.00
Z-073	530704	Lerna	Lerna Airport		$26.25
W-135	500625	Lincoln	Logan County Airport		$3.00
Z-100	530806	Litchfield	Municipal Airport		$6.00
M-131	400902	Lockport	Lewis School of Aeronautics Airport		$7.50
		Lostant	Hartenbower Hectares Airport
AR-086	690720	Macomb	Municipal Airport		$12.00
		Manito	Manito Mitchell Airport
G-221	341021	Marion	Municipal Airport		$6.00
AB-011	550201	Marion	Williamson County REgional Airport	107S54 107N54	$3.00 $4.50
C-340	300712	Mattoon	Mattoon Airport		$9.00
C-341	300713	Mattoon	Mattoon Airport		$12.00
N-184	411019	Mattoon	Mattoon Airport		$9.00
Z-071	530704	Mattoon	Coles County Memorial Airport		$7.50
Z-074	530705	Mattoon	Coles County Memorial Airport		$9.00
		Mendota	Menota Grandpa's Farm Airport
T-321	471012	Metropolis	Municipal Airport		$26.25
L-021	390416	Moline	Municipal Airport		$3.00
AA-090	540926	Moline	Quad City International Airport		$4.50
		Moline	Quad-City Seaplane Base
		Monee	Bult Field
AP-077	680704	Monmouth	Municipal Airport		$12.00
		Monticello	Piatt County Airport
		Morris	Municipal Airport
T-242	470803	Mount Carmel	Municipal Airport		$7.50
		Mount Morris	Ogle County Airport
		Mount Sterling	Municipal Airport
		Mount Vernon	Mount Vernon Airport
Y-043	520601	Murphysboro	Murphysboro Airport		$19.00
N-117	410721	Nauvoo	Nauvoo Seaplane Base
		Newark	Cushing Field
AF-032	590704	Olney	Olney-Noble Airport		$26.25
S-090	460604	Ottawa	Skydive Chicago Airport		$7.50
AU-012	720423	Palmyra	Zelmar Memorial Airport		$12.00
AU-050	720906	Paris	Community Hospital Airport		$38.00
AX-022	750621	Paris	Edgar County Airport		$7.50
AL-075	640905	Park Forest	Municipal Heliport		$12.00
P-064	430730	Park Ridge	Douglas Aircraft Airport		$9.00
V-190	490918	Park Ridge	O'Hare Airport		$12.00
		Paxton	Paxton Airport
AL-031	640524	Pekin	Municipal Airport		$4.50
C-510	301004	Peoria	Mount Hawlwy Airport		$45.00
C-511	301005	Peoria	Mount Hawlwy Airport		$45.00
F-104	330722	Peoria	Peoria Airport		$3.00
F-105	330723	Peoria	Peoria Airport		$3.00
G-222	341021	Peoria	Municipal Airport		$12.00
		Peoria	Rainbow Heliport
B-164	290622	Peru	Walter A Duncan Field		$9.00
		Pinckneyville	Pinckneyville-Du Quoin Air
AW-025	740723	Pittsfield	Pittsfield Penstone Municipal Airport		$4.50
AH-060	610730	Pontiac	Pontiac Flying Club Airstrip		$26.25
		Pontiac	Municipal Airport
		Poplar Grove	Poplar Grove Airport
		Prospect Heights	Chicago Executive Airport
G-230	341028	Quincy	Municipal Airport		$6.00
V-180	490911	Quincy	Baldwin Field		$3.00
W-192	500820	Raleigh	Raleigh Airport		$9.00
		Rantoul	Rantoul National Aviation Center Airport
AM-094	650829	Robinson	Municipal Airport		$4.50
		Rochelle	Municipal Airport
T-227	470720	Rock Falls	Municipal Airport		$9.00
AA-116	541031	Rockford	Cottonwood Airport		$3.00
		Rockford	Chicago-Rockford International Airport
AA-092	540926	Rock Island	Rock Island Airport		$6.00
		Romeoville	Lewis University Airport
		Rushville	Schuy-Rush Airport
		Saint Jacob	Saint Louis Metro-East Airport
M-130	400902	Salem	Salem-Leckrone Airport		$7.50
		Savanna	Tri-Township Airport
		Schaumburg	Schaumburg Regional Airport
		Schaumburg	Schaumburg Municipal Heliport
		Shelbyville	Shelby County Airport
		Sparta	Sparta Community Airport
065	270815	Springfield	Lindbergh Airport	2S6	$15.00
G-223	270815	Springfield	Municipal Airport		$6.00
T-335	471102	Springfield	Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport		$6.00
N-049	410510	Sterling	Seaplane Base		$6.00
		Sterling	Whiteside County Airport
		Taylorville	Municipal Airport
		Tinley	Chicago-Tinley Park Heliport
		Tuscola	Tuscola Airport
R-080	451026	Urbana	University of Illinois Frasca Airport		$4.50
P-090	431016	Vandalia	Municipal Airport		$7.50
P-091	431017	Vandalia	Municipal Airport		$12.00
		Watson	Percival Springs Airport
		Waukegan	Chicago-Waukegan Regional Airport
		West Chicago	Dupage Airport
X-174	510930	Wood River	Wood River Airport		$26.25
		Yates City	Tri-City Airport

INDEX: US Airport Dedication Covers by State

Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields in Illinois.