GHPCC-Barrington Airport Traditional Cache
JoenGPS: Unfortunately, GHPCC-Barrington Airport is now archived after a 14 year run. As a working pilot years ago this was a special place for me. Checking the site today I found the host was removed. A good spot near the windsock, that would not be subject to landscaping did not seem feasible. Thanks to all who visited over the years. đ
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This is one of the series of caches placed throughout Camden County to bring awareness to historical locations. It has been placed here at the suggestion of, and with the permission of, Mayor Rink of Barrington. This location and the history written below are the result of an Eagle Scout Project. Please be respectful of this area.
The Barrington Airport
1945 to 1951
The Barrington Airport, located in Barrington, New Jersey, opened in June 1945 and was
originally named the âMerrill Airport.â It was situated on a 116-acre tract of land along East Gloucester Pike, directly across from Edmund Scientific and where the Barrington Industrial Park is now located. This land had been farmed by the Bobetski family and was originally part of the old Howell Estate. The Daniel Smith family was the last family to live and farm there.
In 1939 Conrad G. Merrill formed the New Jersey branch of Merrill Engineering Company, located at 35 E. Kings Highway, Audubon, New Jersey, primarily for the purpose of designing and manufacturing special electronic and mechanical equipment. The first product was the Merrill Electronic Wheel Balancer. This wheel balancer set a new standard in the automotive industry. It was a new technology used to balance wheels electronically while they were still on the car. Stewart Warner Manufacturing secured a license from Merrill Engineering and used the trade name âStewart Warner Electronic Balancer.â
During World War II and shortly after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Merrill Engineering swung into action and set aside other work to devote 100 % of their efforts to defense work for the Navy. They even placed ads encouraging and supporting the buying of war bonds. The new work was highly classified. Most of the contracts were in areas of radar, guided missiles and the Merrill Propeller Balancer. It was the only defense plant in Audubon.
Because of the increased workload it was necessary to find larger facilities. On March 22, 1945 Conrad Merrill purchased land from the Borough of Barrington. A building permit was issued for the erection of a 30,000 square foot building. Conrad Merrillâs infatuation with flying and his need to expand the machine shop and electronics business influenced him to combine all operations.
Runways at the Barrington location were created for aircraft to land. The main runway ran West Northwest by East Southeast and was not numbered. The landing field was the beginning of the Merrill Airport. The hangars and administration building replaced the old farmhouse on Gloucester Pike (then known as âSandy Lane.â)
In June 1945 a new subsidiary, âMerrill Flying Serviceâ, was formed with complete facilities for major aircraft repair, student instruction, commercial flight, charter service and passenger flights.
During the war, the Barrington Field was used as a base for Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) planes. For a time Conrad Merrill trained civilian pilots for Coastal Patrol (CAP-CP.)
By June 1945 the Merrill Flying Service had its complete facilities in operation.
Everyone in town noticed the increased activity. You could hear and see many planes fly over and circle the town to enter the landing pattern. During the war many small airports up and down the east coast were closed. When the war ended aviators were eager to fly. New pilots as well as seasoned ones enjoyed flying from Barrington to different airports for cross country experience and just to visit. Although in its early stages, the Merrill Airport was in full swing.
On November 24, 1945, 38-year old Conrad Merrill lost his life while flying in his own
Luscombe Airplane. That morning he was going on a business trip. Before leaving he was making a trial flight around the Airport. It was witnessed that Mr. Merrill was attempting to land and he did not have sufficient altitude to clear wires by the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks. While trying to gain more altitude the engine sputtered and stalled. The plane went into a spin and nose-dived into the Millerâs farm on Davis Road. His nephews, Lawrence âBudâ and Joe Barber were waiting to go on the trip with him when they saw the plane go down as did some children coming out of Borough School #2, (Culbertson School) on the corner of Gloucester Pike and Clements Bridge Road, also saw the plane go down. They were heading to the Airport to take the twenty-five cent plane ride.
After his death, his widow, Mary âMayâ Merrill, with the help of her brothers, Lawrence and Horace Barber continued the construction of an administration building. This housed offices and conference rooms. For a short time May and her mother Mary Barber ran a restaurant and dairy bar.
The Airport including hangars was leased to Albert Snyder Jr. Al Snyder formed a flight school (Snyder Aviation, Inc.) The New Jersey branch of Merrill Engineering was closed in 1947.
Al Snyder ran the flight school at Barrington Airport from 1946 to 1950 then moved it to the Moorestown Airport. In 1951 construction of the New Jersey Turnpike divided the Barrington Airport property into two separate smaller parcels. Owens Corning Fiberglass Co. purchased the east portion as a site for a manufacturing plant. The west parcel along Gloucester Pike eventually was subdivided and became Barrington Industrial Park. The Weyerhaeuser Co. occupies a large portion. Mrs. Merrill sold the last piece of the Airport property in 1984.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Abg ba be haqre gur fvta.
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