Forty or fifty years ago or so, Strafford once had an airport--hence the name Airport Road, which you will find this cache alongside. The street just to the east where you see newer houses built, Vermillion Drive, was the approximate location of the long gravel runway. As a kid growing up in the area, we would occasionally see small, single engine aircraft land in what was basically my backyard as the airport had been closed for quite some time. There was the remains of an office building and some metal hangers. I am not really sure what function this airport served before my parents moved into this area after leaving St. Louis in the mid seventies.
But...
If you do talk to a few locals who were around during the day or perhaps one of the kids I grew up with, you might hear the story of how federal agents came knocking on our doors one night telling us to stay indoors in fear their could be gun fire. Apparently the planes that were flying into the old abandoned airport were flying illegal drugs into the area as one of the local businesses was set up as a front. And they say nothing ever exciting happens in Strafford.
I don't know what the outcome of that night was, but I can assure you there was no gun fire. Funny thing is my parents always told us they moved us to a safer area compared to St. Louis. So, there's that.
Anyway, that's your history lesson as to why Strafford has an Airport Road but no airport. Back in the day, there was an airport. In the area where you will find the cache, if you look to the east, that would have been the approximate location of the retangular, delapadated hangers. A yellow box of a building, probably no larger than 20 by 20 stood in front of the hanger. I am guess that was the office and radio control since there was an antenna just outside of the building at one time. Of course, if you drive on Vermillion, you are driving on what was the old gravel runway--and yes that incline was part of it too.
Footnote: I recently confirmed the FBI story with the former mayor of Strafford along with a life-long childhood friend who moved to Arkansas. I kind of remember a little bit about it as a child...