Watson Airport

The airport was a private field built for and used exclusively by Thomas Watson Jr., the former CEO of IBM. Upon his death, the primary reason for the airport's existence and maintenance ceased, leading to its closure. It was not closed due to military conversion, accidents, or broader economic factors affecting public airports.

The site of the former airport remains private property. Satellite imagery shows the location is now a large, well-maintained grassy field. The distinct linear shape of the former runway is still clearly visible, but there are no remaining airport facilities such as hangars or markings. The land is part of a private estate and is not used for any aviation purposes.

Watson Airport's significance is tied directly to its prominent owner. Thomas Watson Jr. led IBM from 1956 to 1971, overseeing its transformation into a dominant force in the computer industry. He was also an accomplished pilot and the US Ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1979 to 1981. The airport, also known as Watson Field, served as his private gateway to his family's summer estate in Pulpit Harbor on North Haven island. When active, it featured a single turf runway, listed in 1982 as being 2,200 feet long, and handled his personal general aviation aircraft.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Watson Airport. As the land is privately owned and part of an estate, any decision to reopen would be at the sole discretion of the current landowners. Given the lack of public need and the availability of ferry service to the island and the nearby Knox County Regional Airport (KRKD) on the mainland, a reopening is considered extremely unlikely.