Unusual Namesakes for Some US Airports

Ever wondered why the Atlanta airport is called Hartsfield? Or the Chicago one O’Hare? Or my own airport, in Charlotte, Douglas? Who were these people?

I mean, I get George Bush (Houston), Louis Armstrong (NOLA), even Harry Reid (Las Vegas), and Daniel Inouye (Honolulu). But those other dudes??? Curious minds want to know.

So, here they are. I’ve listed them in decreasing number of flights per year. Enjoy!

Atlanta (Hartsfield)

• Who:  William B. Hartsfield
• Why:  Longest-serving mayor of Atlanta
• When:  After he died in 1971
• Fun fact:  Was formerly Candler Field, after another mayor (and founder of Coca Cola); another mayor, Maynard Jackson, had his name appended to the official name in 2003

Hartsfield

Chicago (O’Hare)

• Who:  Edward “Butch” O’Hare
• Why:  Naval aviator during WWII, first naval aviator to win the Medal of Honor
• When:  1949
• Fun fact:  Father was killed by Al Capone after he testified against him

Butch and father

Charlotte (Douglas)

• Who:  Ben Douglas
• Why:  Mayor who oversaw the opening of the airport in 1936
• When:  1954
• Fun fact:  Originally named Morris Field, after a WWI aviator

Boston (Logan)

• Who:  Gen. Edward Lawrence Logan
• Why:  Local pol
• When:  1923
• Fun fact:  Built on landfill, subsuming three islands

St. Louis (Lambert)

1. Who:  Albert Bond Lambert
2. Why:  Local businessman (Listerine), Olympian (golf), and aviator; bought and developed airport, then sold it to the city
3. When:  1923
4. Fun fact:  His support is why Lindbergh’s plane was named the Spirit of St. Louis

Lambert left, Orville Wright right

Dallas (Love)

• Who:  Moss L. Love
• Why:  In 1913, crashed his Wright plane while training; eighth fatality in aviation history 
• When:  1917
• Fun fact:  Died in San Diego; has no connection to Texas that I could discern

Houston (Hobby)

• Who:  William P. Hobby
• Why:  Texas governor 
• When:  1967
• Fun fact:  Briefly named for Howard Hughes (then rescinded, because federal law denies funds to any installation named after a living individual)

Hobby

Cleveland (Hopkins)

• Who:  William R. Hopkins
• Why:  Mayor & aviation enthusiast; bought land for airport
• When:  1951
• Fun fact: Burke Airport, also in Cleveland, was named after another mayor, Thomas A. Burke

Hopkins

Hartford (Bradley)

• Who:  Eugene M. Bradley
• Why:  Crashed his plane there during training 
• When:  1941, same year airport opened (as an air base)
• Fun fact:  Actually in Windsor Locks, halfway between Hartford and Springfield, MA

Omaha (Eppley)

• Who:  Eugene C. Eppley
• Why:  Businessman, contributed funds to make the airport jet-ready
• When:  1960

• Fun fact:  On a former oxbow of the Mississippi, it is surrounded on three sides by Iowa

Providence (Green)

• Who:  T.F. Green
• Why:  Governor and senator
• When:  1938
• Fun fact:  Lived to age 98

Knoxville (McGhee Tyson) 

• Who:  Charles McGhee Tyson
• Why:  Local boy shot down at the very end of WWI
• When:  1930, at airport’s opening
• Fun fact:  His father, a general and senator, donated the land for the airport on the condition that it be named after his son