To many local residents, Warren County-Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport in Queensbury is the place to watch the The Official Adirondack Balloon Festival or gawk as planes come and go. But the county-owned airport that dates back to the early 1940s -- built to be part of the national airfield infrastructure -- has a deep history, including years of serving as a base for four different airlines offering commercial service to and from the region into the 1980s.
A new history exhibit at the airport is helping to memorialize that important past, with photos and memorabilia from commercial service during those days gone by. Many of the donated items come courtesy of Leaf Air LLC's Jim Barrett, whose father was among the Colonial Airline staffers. Rich Air staff have coordinated the effort.
The construction of the Adirondack Northway, which allowed easier access by car to the region, was the death knell for commercial air traffic to and from the Queensbury airport.
"This new exhibit is great. It breathes some new life into the terminal to see the pictures that detail the history of our airport," explained Robin Mapp, Warren County Airport Manager. "Credit goes to the Rich Air team for their great work."
Feel free to stop by the airfield on Queensbury Avenue to take a look at the exhibits. You can also learn more about the history of the airport here: warrencountyny.gov/airport/history.