The pilot's association is very interested in preserving the history of our unique airport. Any anecdotes or photographs you have to share would be most welcome.
Here's a PDF made from scanning the 1946 agreement which transferred the airport to the County.
Here is an county ordinance setting forth rules for the airport.
The following is a transcript of minutes from a meeting of the LRAPA.
A special meeting of the Directors and Members was held on Sept 21, 1997, at one o'clock P.M. at Coast Flyers meeting room, for the purpose of meeting and interviewing several community residents who lived here during the early years of the Little River Airport.
The purpose of this meeting was to gather information for our new project: The history of the Little River Airport.
We enjoyed learning much about the Little River Airport during the next 2½ hours. Emery was away during WWII, but Jake was in the area during the construction period. Emery is quite knowledgeable on the politics of the airport; He served as Chair of the committee which worked on the Little River Airport master plan. Bill is a retired photographer who works with the Kelly House Museum and has many airport photographs taken over the years.
All of those present contributed questions for the guests to answer. Dave Brewer assumed the role of primary interviewer with most others contributing occasional questions.
A few points of particular interest are:
- The entire area was thought of as "Prairie" before the airport construction. Now we call it "Pygmy Forest."
- The area was burned over every four years to allow the production of a good huckleberry crop, selling for $ .05/Lb.
- The County acquired the land for the military, which then built the airport. The rock used came from a quarry on the coast.
- The area was mostly unpopulated at the time of construction; there was no public input or comment solicited.
- This is the westernmost airport in this part of the U.S. It's the last land for westbound flights; the first for eastbound flights.
- The runway was built to handle the heaviest loads of any in Northwestern California.
- The extensive drainage system keeps the airport dry in winter; it fills the ponds which were built by Ole Hervila of the LR Inn.
- The wood hangar was built along with the runway, etc.
- The office building was built as a ticket office by Southwest Airlines.
- The metal buildings were for a flight school and for the resident manager.
- No one ever complained about the airport until the master plan development was being researched.
- The limitation to less than 30 passenger aircraft hurt our movie industry. There have been no major motion pictures since.
- The Coast Guard wants to see made available: jet fuel for it's aircraft and housing for it's people.
- There were many other topics covered. The writer makes no attempt to cover all that was discussed.
After about two hours Jake, Bill, Andy, Grant and Larry had to leave. Emery remained to continue discussion with the remaining people. We spoke of the politics of the area as well as those of the airport. When Emery was invited to apply for membership on the The Little River Airport Advisory Committee, he politely declined.
Joel Bornstein, Secretary