Bustleton in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Bustleton Field

First US Air Mail Delivery

— May 15, 1918 —

Busleton Field Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., April 14, 2019

1. Busleton Field Marker

Inscription.
The first regularly scheduled US Post Office Air Mail delivery took place here, mid-point of the New York-Philadelphia-Washington Air Mail Route. On May 15, 1918, US Army Lt Torrey Webb, in a Curtiss "Jenny" biplane, left New York at 11:45 am, landing at Bustleton Field at 1:00 pm. Thru mail was transferred to Lt James Edgerton's plane, which took off at 1:15 pm, arriving Washington at 2:50 pm. Bustleton Field was the chief US Air Mail maintenance and repair depot from 1918 to 1921.

Erected by Friends of Northeast Philadelphia History
at the Centennial Celebration May 19, 2018

Erected 2018 by Friends of Northeast Philadelphia History.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Communications. In addition, it is included in the Postal Mail and Philately series list. A significant historical date for this entry is May 15, 1918.

Location. 40° 5.82′ N, 75° 1.096′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in Bustleton. It is at the intersection of Haldeman Avenue and Red Lion Road (Pennsylvania Route 63), on the right when traveling east on Haldeman Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2100 Red Lion Road, Philadelphia PA 19116, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania. It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

New Netherland,

and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers.

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At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Byberry Hall (approx. 2 miles away); World Wars Memorial (approx. 2 miles away); Pennepack Baptist Church (approx. 2 miles away); a different marker also named Pennepack Baptist Church (approx. 2.1 miles away); Benjamin Rush (approx. 2.2 miles away); Melmar (approx. 2.7 miles away); Thomas Holme (1624-1695) (approx. 2.8 miles away); Greenbelt Knoll (approx. 2.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.

Also see . . .
1. The Airmail Takes Wing (C V Glines). (Submitted on April 14, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
2. Bustleton Field / William Penn Airport / Boulevard Airport, Philadelphia, PA. (Submitted on April 14, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., April 14, 2019

2. Busleton Field Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on March 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 14, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,330 times since then and 109 times this year. Last updated on March 24, 2026, by Maureen McDevitt Greene of Philadelphia, Philadelphia. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 14, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.