Nashua Airport History

Here you will find information on the Nashua Airport - how it originated, how it has evolved over the past 67 years, and what it has become today.

During the Year 1934
The city of Nashua acquired and, with C.W.A. and F.E.R.A. assistance, has developed an airport. Even in its present state of completion, it is an accepted airport and is a so-called "flag station" for U.S. Mail and passengers on the Boston to Montreal Airlines. It is large enough to easily accommodate the regular transport planes. "We lack a hangar, and I advocate that one be purchased or built, provided it can be done at a reasonable price."

The area known as Nashua Municipal Airport and Boire Field is located west of the city of Nashua in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. The total acreage within the boundaries of the airport study area is approximately 355 acres. The airport is roughly bounded on the north by the Boston and Maine railroad track, east by Charron Avenue, south by Pine Hill Road, University Drive and Perimeter Road and northwest by Deerwood Drive. The airport is southwest of Route 101A, the historic east-west route through the region, and west of the F.E. Everett Turnpike and the Merrimack River. Historically the area was used for farming and historic photographs show that the area was predominantly open grazing land. The airport property is on sandy soil, with a scrub pine growth undesirable for farming, which may have contributed to the decision to locate the airport in the area.

The original airport consists of approximately ninety acres of turf landing area and one paved runway, 2000' x 100' with a taxiway to the brick hangar creating an "L" shape, paved in 1937. Historic airport facilities were constructed between 1934 and 1939, utilizing federal government funding. During this period, Nashua became the second largest airport in the state. The most significant building at the airport is the brick hangar (building 1). The hangar is constructed from bricks reused from a Nashua factory that burned in 1930 in the Crown Hill Fire (Howe 1992). The bricks were donated to the airport commission, but had to be cleaned before relaying them into the building in 1934 (Howe 1992). The building is brick panel construction, laid in a common bond pattern, with heavy brick piers supporting the large roof. Originally, "NASHUA AIRPORT" was painted on the roof, but removed during the war to confuse the enemy. The hangar portion of the building is roughly 70' x 70'. Between the brick piers are large rectangular windows which create light for working on airplanes. This building has retained a high degree of integrity. The only changes have been recent, 1988, when the original folding doors were replaced with accordion doors, and interior office space was remodelled. The only other change was the addition of a gable roof door hood over the entry door on the lean-to extension (1988). The original floor of the hangar was dirt. It was hot-topped when the runway and taxiway were paved in 1936. In 1962, the hot-top was replaced with concrete. There is a steel tower c.1937 on the south side of the building, which supports the rotating beacon, an important navigational aid. The structure is roughly half the size of the brick hangar at the Manchester Airport. It is similar in design, but somewhat different due to the lean-to extension. Three other pre-war buildings on the field southwest of the hangar are not aviation related. These buildings were constructed to be temporary buildings in a cooperative agreement between the city of Nashua and the federal government. One was constructed to be a transient camp, the second to be a shop for mechanic training (building 3), the third for a pump house. The building that was the transient camp has novelty siding and an entry in the gable end which faces east. It has no distinguished architectural features, and is only a fragment of the original "H"-plan structure which was razed to build the fire station in 1961. The building designated number 3 was built c.1927 to be a mechanics shop. It has a metal roof and novelty siding with garage doors and irregular fenestration. The other small wood frame building with a gable roof was the pump house.

 

Shown here is Nashua Corporation's hangar and King Air, and Nashua Aviation's flight line. Dated August, 1969, this photo was taken from the window of a DC-3 on final.

This photo, taken in 1972, shows the view from the cockpit on approach to runway 14.