August 8, 1929
An airport built about two miles (1.6 kilometers) southeast of the downtown area of Salem, Oregon, was officially dedicated. As the 1920s was fast approaching its end, the development of facilities to support airborne transportation had become a top priority for numerous municipalities throughout the United States — including the capital of the Beaver State.
The strong interest of Salem’s residents in aviation dated as far back as 1910, when the first plane flew over the city. That was also the same year during which Lone Oak race track at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem was first used as a makeshift location for the take-offs and landings of aircraft. Numerous local citizens eventually pushed for an actual airport to be constructed for their communities…