Griswold Airport
{{Infobox airport
| name = Griswold Airport
(closed)
| image = Griswold Airport - USGS 23 April 1990.jpg
| image-width = 250
| caption = USGS 1990 orthophoto
| IATA = {{strikethrough color|MPE}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gcmap.com/airport/MPE|title=MPE - Madison [Griswold Airport], CT, US - Airport - Great Circle Mapper|website=www.gcmap.com|accessdate=13 September 2017}}
| FAA = {{strikethrough color|N04}}
| type = Defunct
| owner = Griswold Airport, Inc.
| opened = {{start date|1931||}}
| closed = {{end date|2007|1|1}}
| city-served = Madison, Connecticut
| location =
| elevation-f = 15
| elevation-m = 5
| website =
| coordinates = {{coord|41|16|16|N|072|32|59|W|region:US-CT_scale:10000|display=inline,title}}
| mapframe = yes
| r1-number = 6/24
| r1-length-f = 1,863
| r1-length-m = 568
| r1-surface = Asphalt
| stat-year = 2005
| stat1-header = Aircraft operations
| stat1-data = 3,000
| footnotes = Source: Federal Aviation Administration
{{cite web
| title = N04 – Griswold Airport
| url = http://airnav.com/airport/N04
| publisher = FAA data republished by AirNav
| date = October 25, 2007
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20071213020829/http://airnav.com/airport/N04
| archivedate = December 13, 2007
}}
}}
Griswold Airport {{airport codes|MPE||N04}} was a public airport located three nautical miles (6 km) east of the central business district of Madison, a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. It was privately owned by Griswold Airport, Inc. The airport has been closed since the beginning of 2007.
History
Griswold Airport opened in 1931, located between Route 1 and the Hammonasset River, and adjacent to Hammonasset State Park.
In 1969, the Town of Madison paid to pave runway 6/24, in return for the owner's promise to maintain the property as an airport.{{cite web
| title = Griswold Airport
| url = http://www.evartsarchives.org/pdfs/histories/9-Griswold-Airport.pdf
| first1 = Charlotte L. | last1 = Evarts
| accessdate = July 7, 2017
}} The Madison Aviation Commission was formed at that time to oversee the town's interest in the property.
Shoreline Aviation was founded here in 1980, operating landplanes at first. They added floatplane operations the following year.{{cite web
| title = About Shoreline Aviation
| url = http://shorelineaviation.com/crbst_2.html
| accessdate = July 7, 2017
}}
In 1985, the Griswold family offered to sell the airport to the town of Madison. In November 2000, Leyland Development Corporation obtained an option to purchase the land, and submitted plans for a 260-unit housing development, which was approved by the towns' Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC). A lawsuit against the town to stop the development failed, but local opposition was so strong that Leyland withdrew its original proposal. In the fall of 2003, the developer (renamed LeylandAlliance), submitted a revised proposal to build 131 units. In May 2004, the new proposal was approved by the PZC. LeylandAlliance completed the purchase in February 2007.
{{cite web
| title = A Brief History
| url = http://www.sgod.org/History.htm
| publisher = Stop Griswold OverDevelopment
| accessdate = August 18, 2007
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070714024913/http://www.sgod.org/History.htm
| archivedate = July 14, 2007
}}
{{cite news
| title = Connecticut's Smaller Airports Falling Victim to Development
| url = http://www.airportbusiness.com/web/online/Top-News-Headlines/Connecticuts-Smaller-Airports-Falling-Victim-to-Development/1$11768
| work = Hartford Courant
| first = Robin | last = Stansbury
| date = May 1, 2007
}}
In January 2010, residents of the Town of Madison voted to buy 42-acre former airport property from the developer.
{{cite news
| title = Madison votes to buy Griswold Airport land
| url = http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2010/01/26/news/doc4b5f9acc42b0b414514523.txt
| work = New Haven Register
| first = Amanda | last = Pinto
| date = January 26, 2010
}}
Assisted by the Trust for Public Land, the town completed the purchase in May 2010
{{cite news
| title = Griswold Airport Purchase Is Complete
| url = https://www.courant.com/2010/05/11/griswold-airport-purchase-is-complete/
| work = Hartford Courant
| first = Amanda | last = Pinto
| date = May 11, 2010
}}
{{cite press release
| title = Former Griswold Airport Property Conserved
| url = http://www.tpl.org/news/press-releases/former-griswold-airport-property.html
| publisher = The Trust for Public Land
| date = May 10, 2010
}}
and in 2011 signed a conservation easement to permanently protect 20.6 acres of the land from development.
{{cite press release
| title = Easement Protects 20 acres of the Former Griswold Airport
| url = http://www.tpl.org/news/press-releases/2011-press-releases/easement-protects-20-acres-of-griswold.html
| publisher = The Trust for Public Land
| date = September 8, 2011
}}
Facilities and aircraft
Griswold Airport covered an area of {{convert|42|acre|ha|0|lk=on}}. It contained one asphalt paved runway designated 6/24 which measured 1,863 by 50 feet (568 x 15 m).
There was also a turf runway designated 4/22, about 1,150 by 50 feet (350 x 15 m);{{refn|group=note
| This can be seen faintly on the USGS photo above. The turf runway was originally longer (see 1961 topo map on the [https://www.airfieldsfreeman.com/CT/Airfields_CT_C.htm#graphics28 Abandoned Airfields] site), but after 6/24 was paved, the part south of the access road was no longer maintained.
}} and a seaplane ramp between the river and the northeast corner of the airport.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2005, the airport had 3,000 general aviation aircraft operations, an average of 57 per week.
Notes
{{Reflist|group=note}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
{{Refbegin}}
- {{cite news
| title = They Still 'Live To Fly' In Madison: Changing Times May Be Catching Up To A Way Of Life At Griswold Airport
| url = https://www.courant.com/2006/02/25/they-still-live-to-fly-in-madison/
| work = Hartford Courant
| first = David | last = Funkhouser
| date = February 25, 2006
}}
- {{cite news
| title = Developer Revises Plan For Project: Rethinks Water Treatment System
| url = https://www.courant.com/2006/06/02/developer-revises-plan-for-project/
| work = Hartford Courant
| first = David | last = Funkhouser
| date = June 2, 2006
}}
- {{cite news
| title = Waste Treatment Results Reviewed: Activists Say Recent DEP Data Dispute Manufacturer's Assertions
| url = https://www.courant.com/2006/11/15/waste-treatment-results-reviewed/
| work = Hartford Courant
| first = David | last = Funkhouser
| date = November 15, 2006
}}
- {{cite news
| title = Septic System Plan Advances: State Issues Tentative OK For Madison Landing Facility
| url = https://www.courant.com/2006/12/15/septic-system-plan-advances/
| work = Hartford Courant
| first = David | last = Funkhouser
| date = December 15, 2006
}}
- {{cite news
| title = A Final Chance To Soar: Hangars And Hangout For Pilots Of All Stripes Will Close At Midnight Sunday After 75 Years
| url = https://www.courant.com/2006/12/30/a-final-chance-to-soar/
| work = Hartford Courant
| first = David | last = Funkhouser
| date = December 30, 2006
}}
- {{cite news
| title = From Air Space To Open Space? Town Will Vote On New Plan For Griswold Airport Land
| url = http://articles.courant.com/2009-10-01/news/madison-open-space-1001_1_open-space-long-island-sound-trust-for-public-land
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233749/http://articles.courant.com/2009-10-01/news/madison-open-space-1001_1_open-space-long-island-sound-trust-for-public-land
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = March 3, 2016
| work = Hartford Courant
| first = Regine | last = Labossiere
| date = October 1, 2009
}}
- {{cite news
| title = Griswold Airport Is Reborn As Madison's Salt Meadow Park
| url = https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-marteka-salt-meadow-park-0629-20140626-column.html
| work = Hartford Courant
| first = Peter | last = Marteka
| date = June 27, 2014
}}
- {{cite news
| title = Holding Back The Tide: In Madison, Longtime Cottage Holders Fight Development
| url = https://www.courant.com/2007/12/31/holding-back-the-tide/
| work = Hartford Courant
| first = Kim | last = Martineau
| date = December 31, 2007
}}
{{Refend}}
External links
{{commonscat|Griswold Airport}}
- [http://skyvector.com/?ll=41.271111,-72.549722&zoom=1 Aeronautical chart] at SkyVector
- [https://www.airfieldsfreeman.com/CT/Airfields_CT_C.htm#graphics28 Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields]
{{Airports in Connecticut |state=expanded}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1931 establishments in Connecticut
Category:2007 disestablishments in Connecticut
Category:Airports established in 1931
Category:Airports disestablished in 2007
Category:Airports in New Haven County, Connecticut