Todd Field

Urban encroachment and real estate development. Todd Field was located in Ankeny, a rapidly growing suburb of Des Moines. The increasing value of the land for residential purposes made it economically unviable to continue operating a private airfield. The property was sold to developers and converted into a housing subdivision to meet the demands of the expanding population.

The site of the former Todd Field has been completely redeveloped into a residential neighborhood. The coordinates point to an area now covered by single-family homes, streets, and cul-de-sacs. The former north-south runway alignment is now occupied by streets such as NW 18th Street, NW Abbie Drive, and the surrounding houses, located just west of Ankeny Centennial High School. There are no visible remnants of the former airport.

Todd Field was a private general aviation airport owned and operated by Howard Todd. It primarily served the personal flying needs of its owner and likely a small number of other local pilots. The airport featured a single unpaved turf runway, listed in the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory as being 2,600 feet long and designated Runway 18/36. While it was a private facility requiring prior permission to land, its presence on aeronautical charts for several decades made it a known landmark for pilots navigating the area. It was a classic example of the numerous private grass strips that supported American general aviation in the mid-to-late 20th century before being consumed by suburban sprawl.

None. The land has been irreversibly and completely converted to a high-density residential area. Re-establishing an airport at this location is impossible, as it would require the acquisition and demolition of dozens of private homes and redevelopment of the entire neighborhood infrastructure.