Mason Airport

The specific reason for closure is not officially documented. However, the closure is typical for small, private general aviation airfields of that era. Common factors included increasing economic pressures, rising land values making agriculture more profitable, the owner retiring or passing away, and increasing regulatory burdens. The conversion of the land back to farmland suggests an economic decision was the most likely cause.

The site of the former Mason Airport has been completely returned to agricultural use. The land at the coordinates 40.093899, -89.3629 is now comprised of cultivated farm fields. All airport infrastructure, including runways, hangars, and service buildings, has been removed. Depending on the season and crop rotation, faint outlines of the former runways can sometimes be discerned in aerial or satellite imagery due to soil compaction, but there are no physical traces of the airport remaining on the ground.

Mason Airport was a private general aviation airfield that served the local community of Lincoln, Illinois, from the late 1940s to the early 1970s. It was not depicted on aeronautical charts in 1944 but appeared by 1949. Initially, it had a single unpaved runway. By the late 1960s, it had expanded its operations to include two turf runways: a primary 2,640-foot Runway 18/36 and a secondary 1,900-foot Runway 9/27. The airport provided essential services for private pilots, including hangars and fuel, supporting personal and recreational flying in the region.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Mason Airport. The land has been privately owned and actively farmed for approximately 50 years. Given the complete removal of all aviation infrastructure and the site's long-standing use for agriculture, re-establishing an airport at this location is considered highly improbable.