From Hale Field Airport to MSO Beach
Photo Credit: Mansfield Library Archives and Special Collections
The earliest photo which has been located of Hale Field was a circa 1930s photo of a Ford 4-AT-B Tri-Motor (N7861 c/n 4-AT-46) at Hale Field's Johnson Flying Service.
History
According to the Missoula International Airport website, “In 1927 a group of men met at the Palace Hotel to discuss Missoula's future in aviation. Missoula, it was felt, needed an airport to succeed. City businessman Harry Bell was elected president of the Missoula chapter of the National Aeronautic Association. Their first act was to secure an airmail route to Butte & Salt Lake City. Walter Beck secured a 60-day option on 80 acres of land just east of the Missoula County Fairgrounds. The County officially purchased the 80 acres, along with an adjacent strip to construct an east/west runway. Total cost was $5,000. A northwest/southeast runway was later built.”
A circa 1945 aerial view looking south showing a considerable number of planes & hangars at Hale Field.
“ “You will see in the lower left part a military ‘Hellcat’ [Grumman F6F] parked on the turf. That was given to the airport by the military after WWII. The military just flew in it, gave it to the city & left. I was 9 or 10 years old at the time & used to ride my bicycle out to the field & play in the plane.””
According to the Missoula International Airport website, “In 1929, through additional financing secured by Harry Bell & state Senator John Campbell, Missoula’s Garden City Airport now covered 225 acres.” The earliest depiction which has been located of the original Missoula Airport was on the August 1935 Butte Sectional Chart. According to the Missoula International Airport website, “In 1935 the Garden City Airport was officially named Hale Field, after county surveyor & civil engineer Dick Hale, who spent many hours at the airport as an aviation enthusiast.”
A 4/29/47 photo Hale Field, showing a Ford Tri-Motor taking off, along with a DC-2 or DC-3, and a surplus Vultee BT-13.
According to the Missoula International Airport website, “In 1949, Hale Field continued to grow. Located at the airport were a new & modern maintenance facility, 3 large hangars, 2 T-hangars, offices, a cafe, carpenter shop, a parachute loft, a classroom, and 32 aircraft.”
A 1950 aerial view looking west showed Hale Field to have 4 unpaved runways, with several buildings & hangars.
The last photo which has been located of Hale Field was a 10/26/54 USGS aerial view. It showed the field to have 2 unpaved runways, with at least 4 aircraft parked near several buildings & hangars on the northwest side. According to the Missoula International Airport website, “In 1954, Hale Field closed its runways forever.” Hale Field was no longer depicted on the October 1955 Butte Sectional Chart.
Transition to MSO Beach
The former Hale Field Airport property is now the site of Sentinel High School, Playfair Park, and Splash Montana Waterslide Park. Playfair Park consists of several athletic fields, basketball courts and four sand volleyball courts.
According to the Missoula International Airport website, “The former airport property is now the site of Sentinel High School, Playfair Park, and Splash Montana Waterslide Park.”
The Missoula Volleyball Community has come to dub the Playfair Park Sand Courts, MSO Beach, tying in the history of the Hale Field Airport and the sand court renovation project. The sand court renovation project began in August 2019, to date Dig Missoula and partners have renovated four full courts. An estimated $20,000.00 will be needed to complete the remainder of the project. For more information on how you can help, visit MSO Beach.
