Clark Airport Traditional Geocache
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This cache is located at Myrtle Street Fields near the parking lot. It is a park and grab. This is a brief description of the airport that used to be located here. I dedicate this cache to Clark Airport. “Clark Airport, Hanover, MA 42.1 North / 70.87 West (Southeast of Boston, MA) Clark Airport, as depicted in the 1937 “Progress Report of the Committee For Aeronautics of the Commonwealth of MA” (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling). In 1927, William Clark started Clark Airport across Winter Street from his father's fireworks factory. However, Clark Airport may have operated in an unofficial capacity for its first few years, as it was not depicted among active airports on the Rand-McNally 1929 Air Trails Map (according to Chris Kennedy), nor listed in the Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy). According to the MA Aeronautical Historical Society, as of 1935 Clark Airport was a commercial airfield located 2 miles West of town center. It was a T-shaped field, having 4 sod runways, the longest measuring 2,100’ northeast/southwest. A hangar was marked with “CLARK FIELD". Clark Airport was not listed in the Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airport Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).The earliest depiction of Clark Airport was in the 1937 “Progress Report of the Committee For Aeronautics of the Commonwealth of MA” (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling). It depicted Clark Airport as an irregularly-shaped 50 acre sod field, within which were a total of 4 landing directions, the longest being 2,100' northeast/southwest. It was described as a commercial airport, owned by W.M. Clark of the National Fireworks Company, and operated by East Coast Airways (F.J. Bedell). Three hangars & an office building were depicted on the west side of the field. By the late 1930s Clark was reportedly a bustling airport. The Hanover Postmaster used the airport to deliver & pick up mail. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, George Clark, the owner of the National Fireworks Company, bought the airport land from his son William. He needed the space to store supplies for making munitions & the airport was a great space for it. The Plymouth County Registry of Deeds has records showing the National Fireworks Company as having purchased a good amount of land on December 30, 1941. Clark Airport was not depicted at all on the November 1942 Boston Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy) nor the December 1945 Boston Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy). After the war was over George sold the land back to his son and the airport was once again back in operation. The airport apparently closed for good in the 1950's and is now the site of a residential housing development." Also of interest is the right of way for the Hanover Branch Railroad cuts across the current parking lot. The right of way forms a walking path that starts beside the current basketball courts.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fghzc