I decided to look into Wings Field, located at the 5-way intersection of Narcissa, Norristown, and Stenton Roads. According to the Pennsylvania Historic Resource Survey Form, Wings Field played a part in aviation history around the time Charles Lindbergh was the first to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean.
The Berkheimer Family
Before it became an airport, the land was owned by John Jones during the 1770's as a dairy farm. Then Michael Hawke took over and built his Georgian-style home. In his 1776 will, it said that he would pass the home to his daughter Susannah, who married George Berkheimer.
The home was owned by the Berkheimer family until it was sold to Alan W. Corson and Thomas Reed. The ownership continued to change until Wings Field claimed ownership of over 100 acres of land.
It Started as an Emergency Landing
It began in 1929 when the OX-5 engine of Lewin B. Barringer's Curtiss plane was failing. He made an emergency landing near Norristown. After refueling, Lewin continued northeast to Pitcairn Field until halfway, he spotted a field in Whitpain that would be perfect for airplanes to land. One year later, Lewin's business associates and co-founders of the Wings Corporation of Philadelphia, Jack Bartow and John Story Smith, agreed to the idea to have an airport in Whitpain. The Central Airport, located along the Delaware River, was too far. So John Story Smith, son of Philadelphia broker Edward B. Smith, purchased the acres of land, and named the site "Wings Port."
"It was used as grounds for developing and testing new inventions, a flying school, and a home for the social center of aviation enthusiasts. On April 24, 1932, The Philadelphia Aviation Country Club was opened at Wings Field to serve as a place for pilots and flight enthusiasts to socialize, much like the country clubs for golfing."
- Mackenzie Cavanaugh, "Spread Your Wings and Fly"
Jack Bartlow and the Bartow Light
Jack Bartlow was enlisted in the army during World War I where he held the grade of Flying Cadet with the Air Service in the 11th Bombardment Group. After the war, Jack continued his interest in aviation. His home base was at the Central Airport until co-founding Wings Field with John Story Smith.
Not only was he an aviator, he was also an inventor of the lighting system for pilots. He created Airways Beacon, the first navigation system that would help pilots see at night when flying at night. His invention was even used during World War II to help pilots during bad weather conditions.
He invented other essentials for pilots. All of the inventions were first used and tested at Wings Field:
flood lighting for hangars
flashing beacons for runways
binocular devices for pilots to improve 3D interpretation of objects at a distance
Architecture
The oldest architecture that still exists on the Wings Field property was the old Berkheimer home. It is described as a Georgian-style home that was built around 1776 by George Berkheimer's father in-law Michael Hawk. It is a 2 1/2 story, stucco-covered home with a pent roof and dormers. There is an addition section of the home built around 1945.
The main hangar was built around 1928 around the time Wings Field was established. Along with the main hangar there were seven other hangars that were built later on after the establishment of Wings Field.
South of the old Berkheimer home was the tenant house that is a Cap Cod-style home with an end-gabled roof and additions built on each side.
Historical Figures at Wings Field
"Some of the many visitors have included Presidents Eisenhower and Nixon, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Arnold Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus. According to a recent interview with Bob Mueller, a member of the WFPA Board of Directors, both Amelia Earhart and Pete Conrad, the third man on the moon, learned and practiced flying at Wings. Earhart was taught how to fly the PCA-2, a locally manufactured aircraft. Conrad would skip school to learn and practice flying at Wings."
- Mackenzie Cavanaugh, "Spread Your Wings and Fly"
Fun Fact #1: Frank Sinatra used Wings Field to fly away privately with Ava Gardner.
I decided to do my own research to see if I could find any historical figures mentioned through the Ambler Gazette archives. As a result, I found two people from history who were not as well known as the people listed in the quote.
Georgina Pope Yeatman, the first Philadelphia woman as Director of Architecture
Prince Johannes of Liechtenstein, an Austro-Hungarian noble and a naval military leader
Impact
With its celebrity attention and innovative inventions by Jack Bartlow, Wings Field created an impact to the Whitpain community. It came at the right time when aviation was popular after the Wright Brothers, Charles Lindbergh, and Amelia Earhart rose to fame.
Oscar Stillwagon, postmaster and prominent citizen of Ambler, convinced the people of Ambler to use air mail because to Wings Field's success. Besides the Ambler Post Office, post offices from other localities like Norristown, Conshohocken, and North Wales used Wings Field to transport mail.
Bibliography
"Aviation Club Reveals Plans." Ambler Gazette. August 28, 1930. Page 1. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/15885/rec/1.
Cavanaugh, Mackenzie. "Spread Your Wings and Fly." The Pennsylvania Center for the Book. 2010. http://pabook2.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/WingsField.html.
Franklin Survey Co. Atlas: Montgomery County 1934 Vol B, Plate 7, 1935.
"Google Maps Area Calculator Tool." DaftLogic. Accessed October 21, 2021. https://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-area-calculator-tool.htm.
Hopkins, G.M. Atlas of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Page 031, 1871.
"John Bryce 'Jack' Bartow." Pitcairn Field. Last modified November 28, 2016. https://pitcairnfield.org/people/bartow_ja/index.php.
"Local History. The Berkheimer Plantation in Whitpain--The Farm of Morris Jarrett--Allan Corson--Charles Kerper--An Interesting Article from the Pen of E.M." Ambler Gazette. March 10, 1898. Page 2. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/1326/rec/2.
Morris, William E. Map of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania : from original surveys. 1849.
"Postmaster Speaks On Air Mail Service." Ambler Gazette. May 19, 1938. Page 1 & 8. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/21985/rec/1.
Smith, J. L. Montgomery County 1893, Whitpain and Worcester Townships, Bethel Hill, Fairview, Cedar Hill, Washington Square, Broad Axe Left, 1893.
Taraborrelli, J. Randy. Sinatra: Behind the Legend. (Hachette: Grand Central Publishing, 2015).
Wings Field in Blue Bell (Pa.) July 5, 1938, 1970200_10586, J. Victor Dallin Aerial Survey collection (Accession 1970.200), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807. https://digital.hagley.org/1970200_10586#modal-close.
"Wissahickon Valley Public Library's Ambler Gazette Collection." POWER Library: Pennsylvania's Electronic Library. Accessed October 21, 2021. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/wivp-gazett.
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