Speedway Field was the original name for the airfield that was to evolve into Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, the twelfth busiest airport in the United States; it was also the largest hub for

Northwest Airlines Northwest Airlines Corp. (NWA) was a major American airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines, Inc. by a merger. The merger, approved on October 29, 2008, made Delta the largest airline in the world until the American Airlines ...

and is the third largest hub for

Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline, along w ...

, Northwest's successor. Speedway Field has its beginning on December 11, 1919, when the Adjutant General recommended to civic groups of

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

and

Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

that the site of the bankrupted Twin City Motor Speedway be acquired for a new airfield. The of land inside the concrete race track oval was first used as an airfield in 1920. It was known as "Speedway Field" and also "Snelling Field" before being dedicated Wold-Chamberlain Field after two World War I pilots, Ernest Groves Wold and Cyrus Foss Chamberlain on July 10, 1923.

# Access to the airfield inside the oval was originally through tunnels under the race track. # The field used landing strips W-SE - 2700' E-W 2300' # Hangars for National Guard Observation Squadron were constructed in 1921 with an appropriation of approximately $45,000 from the Minnesota Legislature. # The first hangar for airmail (80' x 90') constructed in 1920 were financed by $15,000 from Northwest Airlines. # The U.S. Navy Squadron hangar was constructed in 1928. # Minneapolis Park Board took possession of the field on June 1, 1928. At that time, there was an airmail hangar, three National Guard hangars, a Navy hangar, and one additional small hangar.Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Airports Commission History, Volume I: Early Aviation, Metropolitan Area, 1911-1943

Notes

External links

Twin City Motor Speedway
{{coord, 44.889, -93.215, scale:10000_region:US-MN, display=title Aviation history of the United States Airports in Minnesota Buildings and structures in Hennepin County, Minnesota Richfield, Minnesota Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport