Tesch Strip

Private owner decision. Tesch Strip was a privately owned, private-use airstrip. Closures of such facilities are typically due to personal reasons of the owner, such as retirement from flying, sale of the associated aircraft, increased liability or insurance costs, or the sale of the property. There is no evidence to suggest the closure was due to a specific accident, military conversion, or broader economic downturn.

The airport is permanently closed and officially decommissioned. The site remains part of a private farmstead. Recent satellite imagery (as of 2023) shows that the physical turf runway is still visible and appears to be mowed and maintained as a clear grass lane. However, it is no longer a registered or legal landing area. The surrounding land continues to be actively used for agriculture.

Tesch Strip was a classic American 'farm strip' owned and operated by an individual, Lyle Tesch. Its significance was primarily local, serving as a base for the owner's personal and recreational general aviation activities. The airstrip featured a single turf runway (17/35) approximately 2,600 feet long. It represents a common feature of mid-20th century rural America, where farmers and landowners with an interest in aviation maintained their own facilities for light, single-engine aircraft. Operations would have been minimal and restricted to private use.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Tesch Strip. As a decommissioned private airfield, any potential reopening would be solely at the discretion and initiative of the current landowner. This would require a new application and registration process with the FAA. Given its long-term closure, a future reopening is considered highly unlikely.