Ever felt the rumble of a powerful engine nearby? St. Paul Downtown Airport is more than just planes taking off and landing. It’s a piece of aviation history right here in front of you.
This isn’t just any airport. It’s St. Paul Downtown Airport also known as Holman Field. Located just across the Mississippi River from downtown St Paul it boasts the longest runway in the MAC reliever airport system a remarkable 6941 feet. Think of the sheer scale of that.
Opened in 1926 St. Paul Downtown Airport has a rich history. It’s the only MAC reliever airport with its own restaurant Holman’s Table. This airport played a crucial role during World War II. Northwest Airlines employed up to 5000 people here modifying B-24 Liberator bombers. Some of these planes even carried the highly classified H2X radar a vital tool in the European theater.
The airport’s namesake Charles W “Speed” Holman was a legendary pilot. In 1928 he set a world record for consecutive loops an incredible 1433 in just five hours. He was the first pilot hired by Northwest Airways back in 1926 flying airmail routes across Wisconsin and North Dakota. Sadly he died in a tragic accident at an air show in Omaha in 1931.
Two buildings at St. Paul Downtown Airport are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 1939 Holman Field Administration Building and the 1942 Riverside Hangar are testaments to the airport’s enduring legacy.
Even notorious criminals have passed through this airport. In 1936 Alvin Karpis accompanied by FBI director J Edgar Hoover was flown here to face trial.
St. Paul Downtown Airport is a dynamic place. It serves corporate aircraft flight training schools and the Minnesota Army National Guard. Today it remains a vibrant hub of aviation activity. It’s a place where history and modern aviation intersect.
So take a moment to appreciate the history the innovation the significance of this remarkable airport. You are standing on hallowed ground. The legacy of flight lives here in St. Paul.