Brownsville rededicates the region's first airport
It was 81 years ago that history was made in Brownsville with the opening of the region’s first airport.
It was a historic event, but the arrival of a Mr. Charles Lindbergh at the airport marked the official dedication of the facility on March 9, 1929.
On that day, at 1:34 p.m., Lindbergh flew the first international airmail from Mexico to Brownsville, delivering 500 pounds of mail. It was a five-hour, 38-minute flight.
At 1:34 p.m. Monday some 81 years later, a rededication of the Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport was held to commemorate the historic visit to Brownsville by not only Lindbergh, but Amelia Earhart as well. Earhart was in Brownsville the same day as Lindbergh and also attended the 1929 dedication.
With the snip of a silver-colored ribbon, the airport was officially rededicated.
Lindbergh’s arrival in Brownsville is marked by photographs of the famed pilot inside the Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport. One of the photographs shows the aviator’s arrival here.
"He walked up to a stage that had been set up. There was an audience of about 15,000 people there watching Charles Lindbergh do this," said Larry Brown, airport director. "Since that time, this airport has been associated with that aviation pioneering person."
As history notes, Lindbergh was the first pilot to make the first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean in May 1927.
When the Brownsville airport opened in March 1929, it consisted of a steel hangar, a large garage to house an ambulance and fire truck, a residence for the airport manager, and several small buildings.
Today, the airport supports two airlines – Continental and American Airlines/American Eagle – that provide daily flights from Brownsville to hubs in Houston and Dallas, respectively.
"I think the future looks bright and we need to capitalize on that more," said Luis Cavazos, a member of the airport’s advisory board. "We need to tell our neighbors and let them know that the airport is something with a lot of a value. It is really the gateway to Brownsville and the Valley."
