Historic Douglas Airport Receives Federal Funds for Renovation
In a unique move, the Douglas Municipal Airport, a site rich in history at the southern U.S. border, is set to undergo significant renovations. Unlike many airport upgrades, the financial backing for this project is sourced from the National Parks Service instead of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Originally designated by first lady Eleanor Roosevelt in 1933 as the first international airport in the United States, the Douglas Airport holds a special place on the National Register of Historic Places. This designation, however, makes it ineligible for traditional FAA funding.
Deputy City Manager Luis Pedroza shared that the airport’s runway once spanned the U.S.-Mexico border, allowing seamless international landings and takeoffs. “Basically you could land in Mexico and taxi into the United States and vice versa, so that’s what made it international,” Pedroza explained.
To revitalize the airport’s original hangar, the city has secured $750,000 in grants from the National Parks Service. Pedroza described this funding approach as “a very thinking-outside-the-box type of initiative that we thought of because we don’t qualify for those FAA funds. We said, ‘Well, we can certainly qualify for historical preservation funds, and that can certainly help us with our airport.’”
The financial plan for the hangar rehabilitation required a one-to-one match, where both the city of Douglas and the Arizona State Transportation Board contributed $375,000 each.
In addition to the hangar project, the state has allocated further financial support for the airport’s infrastructure. This includes a $485,000 grant to erect a perimeter security fence and another $1.7 million for taxiway resurfacing. The latter project mandated a 10% financial contribution from the airport.
These efforts mark a significant investment in preserving and enhancing a site of historical and operational importance, ensuring that the Douglas Municipal Airport continues to serve its community while honoring its storied past.
