Birthplace of an Airline Marker

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Clintonville in Waupaca County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Birthplace of an Airline

By Keith L, May 31, 2008

1. Birthplace of an Airline Marker

Inscription. It was here in Clintonville that Wisconsin Central Airlines, now known as North Central Airlines, was founded in 1944. Fostered and promoted by the Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, the airline was an outgrowth of the company’s need for air transportation. Four Wheel Drive had been operating a non-scheduled airline service to Chicago for months before making application for scheduled airline service to the Civil Aeronautics Board in June, 1944. Since beginning service on February 1, 1948, with a fleet of three nine-passenger twin-engine aircraft, North Central has become one of the largest of the local service air carriers in the country. Its routes provide the basis of Wisconsin’s airline system serving all of the state’s air carrier airports.

Erected 1964 by the Wisconsin Historical Society. (Marker Number 138.)

Location. 44° 37.098′ N, 88° 43.92′ W. Marker is in Clintonville, Wisconsin, in Waupaca County. Marker can be reached from 7th Street 1.5 miles east of Main Street (Wisconsin Highway 22), on the right when traveling east. Click for map. Marker is on the Clintonville Municipal Airport property, beyond the security fence/gate. Marker is in this post office area: Clintonville WI 54929, United States of America.

Other nearby markers.

By Keith L, May 31, 2008

2. Birthplace of an Airline Marker

At least 4 other markers are within 15 miles of this marker, as the crow flies. Four–Wheel Drive (approx. 1.3 miles away); Portion of Wall of China (approx. 1.4 miles away); Chief Waupaca (approx. 8.3 miles away); Melvin O. Handrich (approx. 14.3 miles away).

Also see . . . North Central Airlines. “The airline’s route system now reached from coast to coast and would fly on its own for six years before it was purchased by Northwest Airlines in 1986.” (Submitted on June 6, 2008.)

Credits. This page originally submitted on June 6, 2008, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 311 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. Submitted on June 6, 2008, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. • J. J. Prats was the editor who published this page.