Ruth Haines
Stapleton International Airport, which was located in Denver, Colorado, was named after Denver mayor Benjamin F. Stapleton. The airport opened in 1929 as Denver Municipal Airport and was renamed Stapleton Airfield in 1944, before becoming Stapleton International Airport in 1964. The airport was replaced by Denver International Airport in 1995 and the land has since been redeveloped as a commercial and residential neighbourhood.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Stapleton International Airport |
| Former Name | Denver Municipal Airport (DMA) |
| Location | Denver, Colorado |
| Year Opened | 1929 |
| Namesake | Mayor Benjamin F. Stapleton |
| Year Renamed | 1964 |
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What You'll Learn
The airport was named after Denver mayor Benjamin F. Stapleton
The site chosen by Stapleton and Vail was called the Sand Creek site, or Rattlesnake Hollow, seven miles from downtown Denver. The airport opened with a four-day program of events, from October 17 to October 20, 1929. At the time, only three airlines had offices in the two-story administration building: Mid-Continent Express, Western Air Express, and US Airways.
By the end of 1930, its first full year of service, DMA was already turning a profit, with thirty takeoffs and landings registered every day. Three new companies signed on to provide service: Carlos Reavis Service, Eddie Brooks Service, and Western Flying Service. DMA played a major role in Denver's development as a national transportation and shipping hub.
In 1995, Stapleton International Airport closed, and the land was redeveloped as the commercial and residential neighbourhood of Central Park. The airport buildings now lie vacant, and the land has been subdivided and zoned for multiple other uses. The redevelopment of Stapleton has become a model for other communities and has received national recognition through awards from the Environmental Protection Agency, Housing and Urban Development, and the Urban Land Institute.
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It opened in 1929 as Denver Municipal Airport
Stapleton International Airport opened in 1929 as Denver Municipal Airport. The airport's opening was celebrated with a four-day program of events from October 17 to October 20, 1929. Only three airlines had offices in the two-story administration building: Mid-Continent Express, Western Air Express, and US Airways. As there were very few passenger flights in 1929, the new facility was mostly used for mail delivery. However, by the end of 1930, the airport was already turning a profit, with thirty takeoffs and landings registered every day.
The development of the airport was led by Denver mayor Benjamin F. Stapleton and Improvements and Parks Department manager Charles Vail. The site they selected was called the Sand Creek site, or Rattlesnake Hollow, seven miles from downtown Denver. Prior to the opening of the new airport, Denver was served by a number of smaller facilities, including an airstrip along Smith Road in Aurora (first used in 1911) and an airfield at 26th Avenue and Oneida Street.
The airport grew alongside the city of Denver. In 1960, it ranked fifth in total aircraft operations and served more than 1.5 million passengers annually. By 1961, it had jumped to third place, serving over 2 million passengers. This growth led to further expansion, including a new fourteen-story control tower, two new concourses, and new sections for the terminal, giving it a distinctive horseshoe shape.
In 1964, the airport was renamed Stapleton International Airport, reflecting its steady growth and its ability to handle international flights. The name change also acknowledged the contributions of Mayor Benjamin F. Stapleton to the airport's development.
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The airport was replaced by Denver International Airport in 1995
Stapleton International Airport was replaced by the Denver International Airport in 1995. The closure of the airport marked the end of 65 years of service. Delta Flight 569 from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport was the last revenue flight to land at Stapleton, scheduled for 7:59 pm on February 27, 1995. Later that evening, air traffic controller George Hosford cleared the last revenue flight to take off from Stapleton at 9:27 pm. After Flight 34 cleared the runway at 9:39 pm, the airport was shut down.
The decision to open a new airport was made in the late 1980s when city leaders decided that Denver's needs had outgrown the facility. The new airport is located 15 miles to the east of Stapleton, which was located just 3 miles from downtown Denver. The Federal Aviation Administration had imposed a building height restriction due to Stapleton's proximity to the city, which was lifted in 1995.
The former airport site has since been redeveloped as a commercial and residential neighbourhood called Central Park, which was named Stapleton until 2020. The redevelopment project has received national recognition through awards from the Environmental Protection Agency, Housing and Urban Development, Urban Land Institute, and the United Nations Council on Sustainable Development. In 2002, the project received the prestigious Stockholm Partnerships for Sustainable Cities Award from the King of Sweden.
The Denver Municipal Airport, which later became Stapleton International Airport, opened in 1929. It was renamed Stapleton Airfield in 1944, in honour of the mayor, Benjamin F. Stapleton, who had spearheaded the development of the airport.
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It was Denver's primary airport for 65 years
Stapleton International Airport was Denver's primary airport for 65 years, from 1929 to 1995. The airport was originally named Denver Municipal Airport (DMA) when it opened on October 17, 1929. The development of the airport was led by Denver mayor Benjamin F. Stapleton and Improvements and Parks Department manager Charles Vail.
The site they selected was called the Sand Creek site or Rattlesnake Hollow, seven miles from downtown Denver. The airport's opening was celebrated with a four-day program of events, from October 17 to October 20, 1929. However, there were very few passenger flights in 1929, so the facility primarily served as a post office, with mail delivery as the main purpose of the three airlines that had offices there.
By the end of 1930, the airport's first full year of service, DMA was already turning a profit, with thirty takeoffs and landings registered every day. Three new companies signed on to provide service that year: Carlos Reavis Service, Eddie Brooks Service, and Western Flying Service. DMA continued to grow and expand over the following decades, and by 1960, it ranked third in total aircraft operations, serving more than 2 million passengers annually.
In 1964, the airport was renamed Stapleton International, reflecting its steady growth and the introduction of international air traffic and shipping to Denver. The airport continued to serve as Denver's primary airport for the next three decades, but by the late 1980s, city leaders decided that Denver's needs had outgrown the facility. In 1995, Stapleton International Airport closed, and it was replaced by the new Denver International Airport, located 15 miles to the east.
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The airport's buildings now lie vacant
Stapleton International Airport was replaced by the Denver International Airport in 1995. The airport, which opened in 1929, served the city of Denver for 65 years before it was closed and redeveloped as a commercial and residential neighbourhood.
The airport buildings now lie vacant, and the land has been subdivided and rezoned for multiple other uses. The former airport site has been redeveloped into a thriving community, with over 9,000 homes and 30,000 residents. The area has 21 schools and 1,100 acres of parks and open spaces. The redevelopment of Stapleton has been recognised as one of the country's largest and most successful infill projects, receiving awards from the Environmental Protection Agency, Housing and Urban Development, and the United Nations Council on Sustainable Development.
The transformation of the former airport site began in 1998, when Forest City Enterprises, Inc. was selected as the master developer. The redevelopment process was guided by the Stapleton Development Plan, also known as "the Green Book", which called for the integration of jobs, open spaces, and community into a new mixed-use residential neighbourhood. The plan was approved by the Denver City Council in 1995 and has served as the framework for the site's transformation.
The original Stapleton airport buildings played an important role in Denver's history and development as an aviation hub. The airport was first known as the Denver Municipal Airport (DMA) and opened in 1929 with a two-story administration building. Despite the limited number of passenger flights, the airport turned a profit by the end of its first full year of service, with thirty takeoffs and landings registered every day. DMA was renamed Stapleton Airfield in 1944, in honour of Denver's mayor, Benjamin F. Stapleton, who had spearheaded the airport's development.
Over the years, the airport expanded and grew alongside the city, with new concourses, runways, and a distinctive horseshoe-shaped terminal being added. The airport became a major aviation hub, serving as Denver's primary airport and bringing international air traffic and shipping to the city. However, by the late 1980s, it became apparent that the airport could no longer meet the city's needs, leading to the decision to build the new Denver International Airport.
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Frequently asked questions
Stapleton Airport was named after Denver mayor Benjamin F. Stapleton.
The airport was renamed Stapleton Airfield on August 25, 1944, in honour of the mayor.
The airport was originally called Denver Municipal Airport (DMA) when it opened in 1929.
No, the airport adopted the "International" name in 1964, and its first nonstop international flight came in 1968.
By 1964, the airport had grown to become an international air traffic and shipping hub for Denver, so the name change reflected this new status.
