California » Chico

Chico Municipal Airport – Chico CA

Municipal Airport, Chico CA–entrance sign

Municipal Airport, Chico CA–entrance sign

Photo: Richard A Walker Creative Commons 2018

Municipal Airport, Chico CA–entrance sign

Municipal Airport, Chico CA–entrance sign

Project type: Airports, Infrastructure and Utilities
Agency: Civil Works Administration (CWA), Works Progress Administration (WPA), Work Relief Programs
Started:
Completed:
Quality of Information:
Marked:
Site Survival:
View Project in a Separate Window

Description

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) worked on the Chico airport in 1934 and the Works Progress Administration (WPA) improved and finished the work in 1935. The specifics of what they did are only partially known to the Living New Deal.

WPA job cards at the Fresno Public Library describe some of the work completed by the WPA:
“WPA Project No. 65-3-1920, Application date 9-25-35, $12,365 ‘Airport Improvements.’ Presidential Letter #866 – 10-24-35 – Rescinded $12,365 Project Rescinded. O.P. 115-03-4508 Takes the place of the above project – See application folder for accepted G.A.O. Description”
“WPA Project No. 65-3-1920, Application Date 11/5/35, $12,365, ‘Continuation of work of Chico airport; grading, leveling, etc.'”

During WWII, the airport was leased to the 4th Air Force and used for a a training base for bomber crews and fighter pilots. In June 1948, Chico Army Air Field was returned to the city.

The Municipal Airport has been modernized in recent years.  While there are a few older buildings left, probably from the Army Air Force days, there does not appear to be any trace of the CWA and WPA work left.

Source notes

Oroville Mercury-Register. Article date needed.

(https://www.militarymuseum.org/ChicoAAF.html), accessed September 14, 2018.


WPA job card, Fresno Public Library, San Joaquin Valley Heritage & Genealogy Center.

Project originally submitted by The Living New Deal on June 30, 2009.
Additional contributions by Richard A Walker, Andrew Laverdiere.

We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal project site.

SUBMIT MORE INFORMATION OR PHOTOGRAPHS FOR THIS SITE

Location Info

Chico Municipal Airport
Chico, CA

Location notes:

Coordinates: 39.799157, -121.854623

Leave a Reply

Before leaving a comment, please note:

  • Comments allow viewers to share information with others or alert us to errors or changes in a New Deal site.
  • We are not involved in the management of New Deal sites and have no information about visits, hours or rentals.
  • This page shows all the information we have for this site; if you have new information or photos to share, click below.

SUBMIT MORE INFORMATION OR PHOTOGRAPHS FOR THIS SITE

We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal project site.

Your email address will not be published.