Celebrating 100 Years of Flight at STP
Celebrating 100 Years of Flight at STP
For 100 years, St. Paul Downtown Airport has been a cornerstone of Minnesota’s aviation story — launching commercial flight in the region, fueling the rise of Northwest Airways, supporting crucial WWII work and evolving into a vital hub for business aviation and public safety. This centennial honors a century of innovation, service and the people who shaped aviation in St. Paul.
Celebrate the centennial of St. Paul Downtown Airport with historic aircraft, live music, delicious food and family-friendly festivities on Thursday, Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. Learn more >
St. Paul Municipal Airport opened in 1926 as a bold civic investment that brought scheduled airmail and passenger service to the riverfront. Airmail launched on Oct. 1, 1926, passenger service followed on July 5, 1927, and a 1929 aviation beacon guided pilots to the field like a lighthouse for the sky.
Founded on Sept. 1, 1926, Northwest Airways made St. Paul a hub of early commercial flight. Operating from St. Paul and Speedway (Wold‑Chamberlain) fields, the city’s decision to keep airmail close to downtown helped cement the Saint Paul Airport’s identity and growth in the young airline era.
Charles “Speed” Holman was Northwest Airways’ first pilot, helping pioneer the Minneapolis–Chicago airmail route and establish early airline operating standards. A national air race champion and one of America’s most daring early aviators, he set looping records (1,433 consecutive loops over St. Paul in 1928), performed groundbreaking aerobatics and shaped early commercial flight. His bold spirit made him a household name, and Holman Field honors his enduring legacy.
During World War II, Holman Field became a Bomber Modification Center staffed by up to 5,000 workers. From 1942 to 1945 the site modified more than 3,000 aircraft, including B‑24 Liberators and B‑25s with “Rosie the Riveter” teams and the Riverside hangars symbolizing STP’s critical contribution to U.S. airpower.
Saint Paul Downtown Airport is a vital general aviation gateway for the region. It supports corporate and community flying, the area’s only Customs and Border Protection service outside MSP, top medical transport activity, resilience against Mississippi flooding and ongoing airfield improvements that keep STP strong for future generations.