Dive into a tale of aviation history and park serenity at Miller Park. This 187-acre park was once Miller Field. It is named after James Miller. He was the first American aviator killed in action in World War I.
Before planes roared here, the Vanderbilt family farmed this land. In 1836, Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt started buying farmland in New Dorp. By 1843, he owned most of what is now Miller Park. His son William inherited the land. William then passed it to his son, George Washington Vanderbilt, in 1885.
George built the 24-room “White House” on the farm in 1906. You might know George better for building Biltmore in North Carolina. Biltmore remains the largest home in America. The “White House” was a periodic home for him until his death in 1914. Vanderbilt’s heirs sold the property to the federal government in 1919.
Miller Field was completed in 1921. It featured a concrete seaplane ramp. There were also two grass runways. The field also had two landplane hangers, two seaplane hangers, and troop housing. Three 85-foot radio masts completed the scene.
With the end of World War I, the need for an air station decreased. Miller Field became a sub-post of Fort Wadsworth. The New York National Guard’s 102nd Observation Squadron was stationed here. It was the major air unit from 1923 to 1940. Civilian aircraft also used the runway.
Some significant flights took place at Miller Field in the 1920s. In July 1920, the Army took commercial photographers up. They captured aerial photographs and film of the International Cup yacht races. Newspapers got images from the field. This showed a practical use of airplanes. In 1928, Admiral Byrd tested his new plane here. It was a Ford Trimotor named the Floyd Bennett. He used this plane for his first trip to Antarctica in December 1928.
Miller Field was the only Air Coast Defense Station on the east coast. Crissy Field in San Francisco served the same function on the west coast. It helped defend New York Harbor along with the Coast Artillery Corps.
During World War II, seacoast guns and observation towers were built. The park saw other military uses as well.
During the Cold War, Army aircraft including helicopters were stationed at Miller Field. From the 1950s through its closing in 1969, the Civil Air Patrol and National Guard used it. Army Reserve troops also trained here.
In the mid-1950s, Miller Field housed the 12th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion. The 1st Army Aircraft Field Maintenance Unit was also here. This unit had mostly civilian employees. They serviced the Nike Missiles installations in the New York area until 1960.
In the 1960s, Green Beret units used the field as a training camp. It provided housing and a training area.
Miller Field was deactivated by the U.S. Army in 1969. It was the last grass runway in New York City. In 1972, it became part of the National Park Service’s Gateway NRA.
Now, as you stroll through Miller Park, remember its layers of history. From Vanderbilt’s farm to a crucial air field, Miller Park has played many roles. It stands as a testament to innovation and the enduring spirit of New York.