Preservation Day: A step back in time

Dozens of people had an opportunity to journey back in time and get an inside look into Boulder City’s past as part of Saturday’s annual Historic Preservation Day.

The event was broken into three sections. Those being recognition of the renovation of the historic Petrizzo Financial building next to the Boulder Dam Credit Union. The second was a dedication ceremony to the late Alan Stromberg at the historic Water Filtration Plant and Teddy Fenton Memorial Park. The third was inside the hangar at the former Bullock Field Airport.

For many, getting a glimpse inside the still-standing hangar was a first. Over the years it played an important part of Boulder City’s aviation history, including that in World War II. According to information from the city, since 1961 the city has owned the hangar and uses it for storage.

But starting in the 1930s, its use was far more exciting. Bullock Field was dedicated in 1933. Three years later Grand Canyon Airlines, which still operates tours, began flights over Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. Bullock Field was named after Grand Canyon Airlines founder, Noel Bullock.

The following year, the airport became Southern Nevada’s first commercial airport with support from the National Park Service. At the time, TWA flew out of Boulder City with its airport terminal being the building that now houses the Elks Lodge. However, during the war, civilian flights were limited, as the airport was used by the military.

By 1942, with its use by the military and the opening of McCarran International Airport, civilian flights out of Boulder City had greatly decreased and were eventually phased out.

Of other note was the airport’s use by Howard Hughes, who tested the Skirosky S-43, which crashed into Lake Mead in 1943. Hughes was able to escape, but two crewmen died in the crash.

Bullock Field was abandoned by the city in 1990 as an active facility once the current airport was opened but has maintained the hangar since then.

The discussion at the hangar was led by Chuck N. Baker, a member of the Boulder City Historic Preservation Commission and is also the veterans’ columnist for the Boulder City Review. He said that years ago, Paul Fisher, founder of the Fisher Space Pen located in Boulder City, donated money for the refurbishment of the hangar, which had fallen into disrepair.

“Paul was a great supporter of historic preservation,” Baker said. “Unfortunately, it (hangar) has gone down a little bit since then. Personally, I think we need to save this building. It’s a part of history, a part of Boulder City, the United States and the military.”

Also in attendance at the hangar was Deputy City Manager Michael Mays. He said the city has plans to build a new storage facility within the existing maintenance yard in two years and thus, everything from the hangar will be moved there. This, then, elicits the question as to what the hangar could be used for in years to come.

“The plan is to go out for a RFP (Request for Proposal) and let people solicit ideas on how they’d like to utilize this facility,” Mays said. “The council will then evaluate those ideas and then decide to work with one of the respondents to move forward with utilization of this historic site. The intent is to preserve this building.”