Westover Hills near Wilmington in New Castle County, Delaware — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Site of DuPont Airfield
Photographed by Stephen J Duncan, June 25, 2011
1. Site of DuPont Airfield Marker
In 1924, a private airfield was established here by Henry B. duPont. Charles Lindbergh landed here in October 1927. With Richard duPonts purchase of controlling interest in All-American Aviation, and Henry duPonts establishment of Atlantic Aviation in 1938, the airfield was expanded, becoming one of the most modern privately owned public-use facilities in the country. Though civil flights were restricted during World War II, the DuPont Airfield continued to prosper as a flight training site for the Navy and as a base for the Civil Air Patrol. It was an important site for development and testing of military experimental projects. Space limitations led to the transfer of most operations following the war. The final flight from DuPont Airfield was in 1958. The site was used by the DuPont Company for construction of the Barley Mill research and development center.
Erected 2003 by Delaware Public Archives. (Marker Number NC-127.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Air & Space. In addition, it is included in the Delaware Public Archives series list. A significant historical month for this entry is October 1927.
Location. 39° 45.906′ N, 75° 35.914′ W. Marker is near Wilmington, Delaware, in New Castle County. It is in Westover Hills. It is on Centre Road (Delaware Route 141) half a mile north of Lancaster Pike ( Route 48), on the right when traveling north. The marker is located at the entrance to Barley Mill Plaza on Centre Rd. Touch for map
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Philadelphia. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic and on the Delmarva Peninsula. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Crooked Billet (approx. 0.6 miles away); Camp Brandywine (approx. 0.7 miles away); Alexis I. duPont Middle School (approx. Ύ mile away); Saint Joseph on the Brandywine Church (approx. Ύ mile away); Mount Olive Cemetery (approx. 0.9 miles away); Wilmington (approx. 1.1 miles away); Henry Clay Village (approx. 1.1 miles away); In Remembrance of Tower Hill School Alumni (approx. 1.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wilmington.
More about this marker. Barley Mill Plaza office complex currently sits on the site of the former airfield
Also see . . . DuPont Airfield. Little Known and Abandoned Airfields - Northern Delaware website entry (Submitted on November 22, 2013, by Keith S Smith of West Chester, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed by Stephen J Duncan, June 25, 2011
2. A view of the marker, facing south
Photographed by Stephen J Duncan, June 25, 2011
3. A view of the marker, facing north
Photographed by Stephen J Duncan, June 25, 2011
4. Barley Mill Plaza
The office complex the marker sits in front of
Photographed by Abandoned Airfields..., 1954
5. DuPont Airfield, 1954
Photographed by Abandoned Airfields..., 2016
6. DuPont Airfield site, 2016
Photographed by Abandoned Airfields..., 1927
7. "Spirit of St. Louis" at DuPont Airfield, 1927
Credits. This page was last revised on January 8, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 25, 2011, by Stephen J Duncan of Wilmington, Delaware. This page has been viewed 2,177 times since then and 67 times this year. Last updated on January 7, 2019, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 25, 2011, by Stephen J Duncan of Wilmington, Delaware. 5, 6, 7. submitted on November 20, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
