June 23 - 26, 2009
Unknown nm/Unknown sm
Start: Denver, CO
Terminus: Atlantic, IA
Check the weather at each stop along the route
Registration opens in January!
Aberdeen, SD (KABR)
Aviation has deep roots in Aberdeen and surrounding Brown County. South Dakota's first municipal airport was established in 1921 on the Tri State Fairgrounds north of Aberdeen. That same year, Security Skycraft Corp. began scheduled air service with five planes, charging 50 cents per mile. In 1923, Aberdeen hosted the state's first fly-in, and in 1927 Dakota Airplane Co. set up a propeller factory in town. In the early 1930s, the townspeople approved a $20,000 bond issue to buy 160 acres of land, build gravel-covered runways and erect a steel hangar for the new Aberdeen Municipal Airport.
The airport's name was changed in 1946 to Saunders Field in honor of Brigadier General LaVern "Blondie" Saunders, a World War II hero from Aberdeen. The name was changed again in 1979 to Aberdeen Regional Airport, and the terminal was renamed the Aviation War Memorial Building.
Aberdeen Regional Airport is a nontowered field, elevation 1,302 feet, pattern altitude 2,100. It has two runways: 13-31, 6,901x100 feet, concrete, and 17-35, 5,500x100 feet, asphalt. Mesaba Airlines provides scheduled service; catering to general aviation are Aberdeen Flying Service, 605-225-1384 or 1-800-237-8987, and Quest Aviation, 605-225-8008.
Two miles west is the city of Aberdeen, the county seat, founded in 1883 by the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad. It was named for the hometown of a railroad official who was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. Aberdeen soon became known as the Hub City, an important intersection for many busy railroad lines. And not just railroads: The historic Yellowstone Trail, which originated in 1912, began as the Twin Cities, Aberdeen and Yellowstone Park Trail. Eventually, it became the nation's first transcontinental highway, extending east to Plymouth, Massachusetts, and west to Seattle, Washington.
L. Frank Baum, author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," lived in the city from 1888 to 1891. His characters inspired a 10-acre theme park in Aberdeen, featuring a farmstead area with Dorothy's house, a children's petting zoo, Munchkin Land, the Scarecrow's house, the Tin Man's house, the Wicked Witch Castle and the Emerald City. Nearby is Storybook Land, with more than 60 exhibits including Captain Hook's Ship, Old MacDonald's Farm, a life-size maze and the Storybook Land Express. Both are contained within Wylie Park, 210 acres of campgrounds, picnic areas, a swimming beach, miniature golf, softball, volleyball, a horseshoe pitch and miles of trails.
Aberdeen, with a population of 25,000, is also home to the Dacotah Prairie Museum; Northern State University; Presentation College; the Lakewood mall, with department stores, specialty shops and a nine-screen movie theater; a historic downtown district with distinctive buildings and landmarks, shops, eateries and night spots; and restaurants ranging from fine dining to fast food to coffee shops, family-style eateries and locally owned establishments featuring regional specialties.
Aberdeen, SD Chamber of Commerce
http://www.aberdeen-chamber.com/
FBOs
www.aberdeenflyingservice.com
www.questaviationinc.com
Other Connections of Interest
http://www.dacotahprairiemuseum.com/
http://www.yellowstonetrail.org/
http://www.aberdeen.sd.us/parks/parks.html
The airport's name was changed in 1946 to Saunders Field in honor of Brigadier General LaVern "Blondie" Saunders, a World War II hero from Aberdeen. The name was changed again in 1979 to Aberdeen Regional Airport, and the terminal was renamed the Aviation War Memorial Building.
Aberdeen Regional Airport is a nontowered field, elevation 1,302 feet, pattern altitude 2,100. It has two runways: 13-31, 6,901x100 feet, concrete, and 17-35, 5,500x100 feet, asphalt. Mesaba Airlines provides scheduled service; catering to general aviation are Aberdeen Flying Service, 605-225-1384 or 1-800-237-8987, and Quest Aviation, 605-225-8008.
Two miles west is the city of Aberdeen, the county seat, founded in 1883 by the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad. It was named for the hometown of a railroad official who was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. Aberdeen soon became known as the Hub City, an important intersection for many busy railroad lines. And not just railroads: The historic Yellowstone Trail, which originated in 1912, began as the Twin Cities, Aberdeen and Yellowstone Park Trail. Eventually, it became the nation's first transcontinental highway, extending east to Plymouth, Massachusetts, and west to Seattle, Washington.
L. Frank Baum, author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," lived in the city from 1888 to 1891. His characters inspired a 10-acre theme park in Aberdeen, featuring a farmstead area with Dorothy's house, a children's petting zoo, Munchkin Land, the Scarecrow's house, the Tin Man's house, the Wicked Witch Castle and the Emerald City. Nearby is Storybook Land, with more than 60 exhibits including Captain Hook's Ship, Old MacDonald's Farm, a life-size maze and the Storybook Land Express. Both are contained within Wylie Park, 210 acres of campgrounds, picnic areas, a swimming beach, miniature golf, softball, volleyball, a horseshoe pitch and miles of trails.
Aberdeen, with a population of 25,000, is also home to the Dacotah Prairie Museum; Northern State University; Presentation College; the Lakewood mall, with department stores, specialty shops and a nine-screen movie theater; a historic downtown district with distinctive buildings and landmarks, shops, eateries and night spots; and restaurants ranging from fine dining to fast food to coffee shops, family-style eateries and locally owned establishments featuring regional specialties.
Aberdeen, SD Chamber of Commerce
http://www.aberdeen-chamber.com/
FBOs
www.aberdeenflyingservice.com
www.questaviationinc.com
Other Connections of Interest
http://www.dacotahprairiemuseum.com/
http://www.yellowstonetrail.org/
http://www.aberdeen.sd.us/parks/parks.html