“Lights, camera, action” could well describe Lower Roosevelt Field. This unassuming site was once at the forefront of aviation innovation. Today, let’s step back in time to when this very spot buzzed with the energy of daring aviators and groundbreaking flights.
Lower Roosevelt Field started as part of the Hempstead Plains Aerodrome. It was a training ground for the Air Service during World War I. Later, it was renamed to honor Quentin Roosevelt, son of President Theodore Roosevelt. Quentin lost his life in air combat during the war.
Roosevelt Field became a launchpad for many historic flights. Charles Lindbergh took off from here in 1927. His destination was Paris. It was the first solo transatlantic flight. Other famous aviators such as Amelia Earhart and Wiley Post also graced this field.
In 1919, the British R34 airship landed here. It was the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic from east to west. It then returned to Britain. This completed the first Atlantic crossing in both directions.
Originally, the Hempstead Plains Aerodrome spanned 900 to 1,000 acres. The U.S. Army Signal Corps established a training school here in 1916. It trained members of the National Guard.
When the U.S. entered World War I in 1917, the entire field was taken over. It was renamed Hazelhurst Field. This honored Leighton Wilson Hazelhurst Jr. He died in a plane crash in 1912.
An adjacent area became Camp Mills. It also became Hazelhurst Aviation Field No. 2. The eastern part of Hazelhurst Field No. 1 was dedicated as Roosevelt Field in 1918.
After the war, the government relinquished control of the property. It sold its buildings. The land was divided. Curtiss Field occupied part of the western section. Roosevelt Field consisted of hangars and a runway.
In 1926, René Fonck attempted a takeoff from Roosevelt Field. He wanted to win the Orteig Prize. However, his plane was overweight. It crashed, killing two crew members.
Both Curtiss Field and Roosevelt Field were bought in 1929. They were consolidated and named Roosevelt Field. In the 1930s, it was America’s busiest civilian airfield.
During World War II, the Navy and Army used Roosevelt Field. After the war, it became a commercial airport again. Real estate developers acquired it in 1950. The field closed in 1951.
Today, much of the area is a shopping mall. It is also a retail space. However, the spirit of innovation lingers here. It reminds us of the pioneering aviators who once soared into the skies from Lower Roosevelt Field. Their courage and vision forever changed the course of aviation history.