Historical Marker at the Rodeo Intermediate Field

Building foundations at the Rodeo Intermediate Field

The Rodeo Intermediate Field is the oldest airport facility in the San Simon Valley and deserves some recognition. To that end I started the application process for a historical marker at the site. The first hurdle was getting the site listed in Geographic Names Information System. It seems that the intermediate field had never been listed. So I submitted the site with the 1936 facilities directory showing the listing for the facility. The only problem was the lat/long given in the facilities directory was incorrect and placed the intermediate field in the Chiricahua mountains. After sending in aerial photographs and screen captures from Google Earth the true location of the intermediate field was accepted and the site was listed.

Then the next step in the process was more research, drawing together all the available information on the site for submission to the New Mexico State department that oversees the placement of historical markers. A statement for the historical marker was written and submitted with the supporting research. Now the application will have to be voted on by a committee and this occurs next month. Below is the text of the application with the suggested rewrites. We'll find out the middle of next month whether they will place a marker. If so, it will be the third historical marker in the county.

Official Scenic Historic Marker Program


CPRC meeting: October 15, 2010

Name of Marker: Rodeo Intermediate Field, CAA 57A

County: Hidalgo

Review: Original Text/Replacement Marker Revised Text
Move of Existing Marker XX New Marker

NMDOT District: District 1

NMDOT Highway: near intersection of US 80 and NM 9

Existing or Proposed Text:
Developed by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the CAA intermediate field system supported early commercial aviation across the nation. The Rodeo Intermediate Field (CAA 57A) was established in 1930 to support early air traffic from the west coast and El Paso and served as an Army’s Auxiliary field during WWII.

Word Count: 50

Suggested Rewrite, tsd:
Developed by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the intermediate field system greatly increased safety in early commercial aviation. Civil Aeronautics Authority field 57A was established in 1930 to support air traffic by Standard Airlines — later TWA — from California to El Paso and served as an Army Auxiliary field during WWII. Its earthen air strips, a directional arrow pointing the way to El Paso and building foundations still are visible.

Word Count: 69

Previous Title and Text: N/A


Source(s):
http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=139:3:43738547032407::NO:3:P3_FID,P3_TITLE:2507807%2CRodeo%20Intermediate%20Field%20%28historical%29
http://www.members.tripod.com/airfields_freeman/NM/Airfields_NM_SW.htm
http://wikimapia.org/15214173/Rodeo-Intermediate-Field
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/21064668
http://s890.photobucket.com/albums/ac110/BAlvarius/Tilt%20shift%20aerial%20photographs/?action=view&current=rodeobeaconhill.jpg&currenttag=Intermediate%20field
http://wiki.worldflicks.org/rodeo_intermediate_field.html#coords=%2831.932078,-108.99238955%29&z=15
http://www.airforcebase.net/aaf/if_list.html
http://www.airfieldsdatabase.com/CAA/CAA%20R19a%20NM-WY.htm

Text Approved by CPRC on Date:

CPRC Comments:
For Referral to:

Trikes have multiple uses

Weight shift control light sport aircraft have multiple uses besides simple recreational vehicles. Here is a video of what the Russians envision. Cool music accompanies the video.

Everybody goes Aerotrekking

Here is a photograph of a forest service air tanker Aerotrekking across the San Simon Valley just west of Rodeo. The canyon in the background is Sulfur Canyon and the air tanker was fighting a fire in the Chiricahua Mountains earlier this summer. While nap of the earth flying is generally considered the purview of the military in the appropriate context it can be done safely and without interfering with others.


Photo by Geoff Bender

Rodeo, New Mexico

Finished a couple of articles for Wikipedia on Rodeo and the bootheel. Have been working on rewrites for the article on the Chiricahua Mountains and added pictures to several other articles. All great places to fly down here which deserve more attention. The goal of this work is to get all the online information about Rodeo and it's environs "out there" and demonstrate activity, that is showcase what is going on down here.

Also finished creating a new blog for the Painted Pony Resort called "Blogging from the Boot Heel" to cover non aviation activities .