Bismarck Air Museum
The Bismarck Air Museum was a plan to save a big old building called Hangar #5. This hangar was at the Bismarck Municipal Airport in Bismarck, North Dakota. The idea was to turn it into a cool museum about airplanes. Back in the 1930s and 1940s, many parts of the airport were built. This included a main building, a large hangar, and runways. These were all part of a big project by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA was a government program that created jobs during tough times. Hangar #5 was the last part left from that original project. The Bismarck Air Museum Foundation wanted to keep it. They hoped to make it a fun place to learn about aviation for everyone in North Dakota.
Contents
The Airport's Early Days
Building Bismarck's Airport
The first main building for the airport was built in 1936. This was part of the WPA project. Hangar #5, the large municipal hangar, was finished in 1940. It was also a WPA project. The first paved runways for planes were also built in 1940. This helped the airport grow and become more modern.
Control Towers Over Time
At first, the airport had a very simple control tower. It was on a truck body and lifted onto a platform. Later, a second control tower was added to the old main building. Eventually, a new control tower was built. It was placed on the northeast corner of Hangar #5.
World War II and Beyond
From 1943 to 1946, the airport was used by the 7th Ferry Command. This was a part of the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. They used the airport to move military planes. The land where the main airport building is now was once part of Fort Lincoln. It was given to the city in 1946 to be used for the airport.
Why the Museum Didn't Happen
Challenges and Demolition
The people trying to raise money for the Bismarck Air Museum faced difficulties. Their efforts slowed down a lot during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Because of this, Hangar #5 was taken down on April 24, 2024. This happened to make space for new improvements at the airport. The dream of turning the hangar into a museum did not come true.
