Fort Worth Municipal Airport began its operations in July 1925. Originally composed of just 100 acres, the early days of the facility saw aircraft operating from runways composed of dirt and sod. The young airport was founded by former Fort Worth mayor, Henry C. Meacham (1869-1929) and was renamed Meacham Field in his honor in 1927. He pledged $1,200 of his own money to build a caretaker’s cottage at the airport in 1925.
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1925
Meacham International Airport, originally called Fort Worth Airport, was established in 1914 to serve the United States Army Airways. The site was leased to the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, which subleased it to the federal government. On July 3, 1925, the City of Fort Worth purchased Fort Worth Airport and in 1927 the airport name was changed to Meacham Field, in honor of former mayor Henry C. Meacham, who pledged $1,200 (value of $21,620 in 2024) of his own money to build a caretaker’s cottage at the airport in 1925.
1928
In February 1928, the first airline passenger to ever fly out of Texas on a scheduled airline flight departed from Meacham Field, headed for Oklahoma City. This event soon ushered in the era of regularly scheduled airline passenger service at the facility, beginning in 1929.
1929
Meacham was the scene of the first aerial refueling as a world’s flight endurance record was set. In the first year of available records, Meacham had 4,511 aircraft and 5,446 passengers and crew use the field.
1932
In 1932, Meacham Field saw significant growth when American Airways (now American Airlines) relocated half of its southern division headquarters personnel and two of its airmail routes to Meacham Field from Love Field. American Airways dedicated a new hangar and office building in October 1933 and by 1936, the airport had paved its runways and constructed a new terminal building.
1937
In 1937, Meacham Field opened a new Terminal Building drawing a large crowd for activities dedicating the field’s new terminal facilities and runways. The Terminal Building remained in use until it was torn down in 1968 and replaced by the new Administration Building and Air Traffic Control Tower.
1940
When World War II started, Meacham Field became part of the U.S. Navy’s network to move fighter planes and torpedo bombers built in New England across the country to the Pacific fleet.
The airport handled 80,576 military aircraft in 1944 and another 63,540 in 1945.
1946
In 1946, Meacham Field recorded its busiest year with 167,267 private and military planes carrying 718,671 passengers.
With the airplanes also came the airplane repair businesses to Meacham Field, including Broadie's Aircraft which serviced Beech 18 and DC-3 planes, offering aircraft overhauls and fixing engines to keep planes running. The company is one of the oldest continuously operated businesses at Meacham, and moved into a new 64,000-square-foot hangar in 2012.
1953
In 1953, with the opening of the new airport east of Meacham Field, named Amon Carter Field, all commercial airline operations were moved from Meacham Field to Amon Carter Field. In 1960, Amon Carter Field was renamed Greater Southwest International Airport (GSW). With the opening of the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in 1974, GSW was permanently closed that same year.
1968
In 1968, the City of Fort Worth built a new administration building, dedicated on October 13, 1968, as part of $1 million in improvements at Meacham Field. Building construction costs were $800,000 (a cost of $7.3 million in 2024 dollars). Prior to opening, the older terminal building, built in 1937, was torn down.
In the same year, the FAA constructed a new 50-foot control tower, which is now scheduled to be demolished in 2026 after the construction of its replacement, a 110-foot new control tower to be funded by the FAA through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act bill funded in 2021, scheduled for completion in 2026.
1975
In 1975, Elvis Presley bought a 1958 Convair 880 from Delta Air Lines and sent it to Meacham Field to have it refurbished and repainted. He spent more than $800,000 ($4.7 million in 2024 dollars) to add a living room, queen-sized bed and 24-karat-flecked sinks.
1985
In 1985, Meacham Field was renamed Fort Worth Meacham Airport.
1995
1995 was renamed to its current Fort Worth International Airport (FTW).
The Airport’s major sources of revenues come from leases and fuel flowage fees.
2012
Started in 2012, The Leading Edge paint facility at the Airport paints all of Boeing’s new Dreamliners aircraft after they roll off the assembly line in South Carolina.
2014
In 2014, American Airways Hangar is restored by fixed base operator (FBO) American Aero.
On March 20, 2014, Air Force One arrives at Leading Edge Facility for a paint makeover.
Fort Worth's municipal airport celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2015 with a major expansion, including new hangars and a renovated terminal and administration building.
2016
In 2016, the City of Fort Worth completes build out of a new terminal building by gutting out the older terminal building, which was built in 1968. Total cost of reconstruction was $30M.
Aviation