Elwood, US 🇺🇸 Closed Airport
3IL2
-
669 ft
US-IL
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 41.4123° N, -88.048698° E
Continent: NA
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: 3IL2
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| Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
18/36 |
2600 ft | 135 ft | TURF | Active |
| Type | Description | Frequency |
|---|
Circa 2002-2004. The airport was still listed on aeronautical charts as a private field in 1998 and was visible in 2002 aerial imagery. However, by 2004 it was no longer depicted on charts, and construction for industrial facilities had commenced on the site by 2005.
The airport was closed to make way for massive industrial and logistical redevelopment. Its location was prime real estate for the development of the CenterPoint Intermodal Center - Elwood, one of the largest inland ports in North America. The land's value for industrial use, driven by the expansion of nearby BNSF and Union Pacific rail yards, far surpassed its value as a small private airfield.
The site of the former airport has been completely obliterated and redeveloped. It is now occupied by large warehouses and distribution centers that are part of the CenterPoint Intermodal Center. The exact location of the former runway is now covered by buildings, truck depots, and parking lots. There are no visible remnants of the airport.
Sweedler Airport was a small, privately owned airfield serving general aviation purposes. It was owned by Robert Sweedler and primarily used by him and potentially other local pilots. It featured a single unpaved turf runway (Runway 9/27) approximately 2,600 feet long. Its significance was local, representing a typical private grass-strip airfield that supported recreational flying and personal transport, a common feature of rural America before the land was consumed by urban and industrial expansion.
Zero. There are no plans or prospects for reopening Sweedler Airport. The land has been permanently and irreversibly repurposed for high-value industrial and logistical operations, making any return to aviation use impossible.