John Werner is the winner. Orofino Airport is the answer for our 42nd week of a feature to celebrate Orofino's history and heritage. Orofino's Municipal Airport was dedicated Sept. 17, 1931. Though the runways have not moved, the highway was once on the river side rather than up by the hill where U.S. Highway 12 was constructed in 1967. Chuck Cuddy was a part of the crew that cut the new four-lane into the hill. One of his most vivid memories of the airport was prior to that construction when the airport was under water during the flood of 1964. Roy Clay said that when the highway was moved, there was a land exchange. The A&W that was once near the downriver end of the runway was moved to its present site (now Fords Creek Electric). It has always been a municipal airport and has been used for commercial flights, postal flights, medical flights and aircraft for fighting wildfires. At present in addition to private hangars, there are facilities for Orofino Aviation, Hillcrest Aircraft Company's helicopter and Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protective Association. Photos: Top--These planes flew in for the dedication of the Orofino Municipal Airport Sept. 17, 1931. Second--This is an aerial of of the airport in 1959 when the highway was still along the river. Monday: There is lots of asphalt.
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Window on the Clearwater P.O. Box 2444 Orofino, ID 83544 208-476-0733 Fax: 208-476-3407 |