Strapped down in the baggage compartment at the age of one, Gail
Beaudin-Pierce, claims to be one of the first passengers to ever fly
out of the Cooperstown-Westville Airport, paving the way for Westville
visitors, such as Charles Lindbergh, John Rockefeller and George
Steinbrenner, for the next 50 years. Memories were in the air at
the Westville Airport’s 50th anniversary celebration held
Saturday morning.
Originally a dairy farm owned by Elmer Wilson, he and his nephew
Donald Beaudin had different plans for the farm. “Dad always wanted to
fly,” said Pierce of her father’s (Beaudin) aspiration to turn the farm
into an airport. “He thought an airport was needed so the cornfield
became an airport.”
In 1955, CooperstownWestville Airport was official. The airport
remained in the Beaudin family until 1989 when Donald sold it. Beaudin,
75, now retired, resides in the state of Florida, and could
unfortunately not be in attendance for the anniversary celebration, but
continues to fly and keep up on the happenings at Westville. “Every
time I talk to him the first thing he asks is ‘how’s the airport
doing,’” said Pierce. “My father isn’t here, but I watch what’s going
on as if he was.”
Following Beaudin’s sale of the property, new owners were not as
intense about the upkeep of the airport and its aesthetics began to
decline and the extent of the airports use was diminished. “A couple of
owners let it go down hill bad,” said Pierce.
But in 2002 a new face showed up at the Westville Airport by the
name of Richard Hannah. Hannah bought the airport and it was reborn.
Hannah cleaned up the property, reshaped the runway, added a pavilion,
a drainage system and constructed a nine-unit hanger. “When Richard
(Hannah) bought the airport it was so bad he had no choice but to
repair it,” said Pierce. “Mr. Hannah has done a wonderful job with it
and it was a joy to watch him work.”
Hannah recently sold the Westville Airport to Rick Williams of
California in April. “I came here for the first time one year ago and
fell in love with it before the car stopped moving. This place is
incredible,” said Williams. “He (Hannah) will continue to be part of
this,” said Pierce.
At the anniversary celebration Williams presented Hannah with an
airplane made of stone, which it had inscribed, “1955-2005 the first 50
years, Cooperstown-Westville Airport, Hannah Field” The airport would
be given the honorary name Hannah Field in the name of Richard and
Kimmy (Richard’s wife) Hannah. “If it is ever appropriate to name
something after somebody, this is it,” said Williams. Also on the
stone carving was a plaque, which read, “Thanks to Richard and
Kimmy Hannah. This airfield remains for all to see what true aviation
is meant to be.”
“They (the Hannahs) are two of the most incredible people I have
ever met in my life. If they hadn’t done what they did the Westville
Airport would have probably gone away,” said Williams.
Throughout the course of the past 50 years the Westville Airport has
hosted a number of community events and been a staple for flight
enthusiasts. One of the first clubs ever established at the Westville
Airport was the Flying Club in 1955. The Flying Club started the first
ever fly-in pancake breakfast at the airport, which is still a
tradition today and was a significant part of the airport’s anniversary
celebration. The airport has also hosted a Civil Air Patrol, Glider
Club, Westville Airport Day and a number of other aviation events.
“It’s been a good airport over the years,” said Ted Jarvis, of Fly
Creek, who has been flying in and out of the Westville Airport
since 1971 and received his pilot’s license from Beaudin. “When it
comes to airports, we’re like children, it’s a place to play,” said
veteran pilot John Thomas.
The Cooperstown-Westville Airport 50th Anniversary Celebration was
put on by the Town of Middlefield Historical Association, The Westville
Airport (Hannah and Williams), and the Experimental Aircraft
Association chapter 1070. “They did months and months of work, it looks
great,” said pilot Glenn Guilfoyle. “This airport has been a crossroads
for families and pilots of all walks of life and been a community place
since its beginning. It has all kinds of opportunities and we hope it
continues to bring people here and keep them interested in general
aviation,” said Marilyn O’cconnel of the Middlefield Historical
Association.
“I have been scared to death at times and enjoyed every minute of it,” said Pierce of her tenure at Westville Airport.
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