Palmer Field

The primary reason for closure was urban encroachment and real estate development. During the 1970s and 1980s, Madison experienced rapid suburban growth fueled by the expansion of Huntsville's aerospace and defense industries. The land occupied by the small airfield became significantly more valuable for residential housing than for aviation, leading to its sale and redevelopment.

The site of the former Palmer Field has been completely redeveloped into a residential subdivision. The area is now covered with single-family homes, streets, and parks, primarily within the 'Heritage Plantation' neighborhood. A key road running directly through the former airfield's location is named 'Palmer Road,' serving as a historical marker for the airport's existence. No physical trace of the runway, hangars, or any other airport infrastructure remains.

Palmer Field was a private general aviation airport that operated from approximately the mid-1960s to the early 1980s. It served the local community of private pilots and enthusiasts. The airfield featured a single, unpaved turf runway, oriented roughly north/south, with a length of about 2,200 feet. It primarily handled small, single-engine aircraft for recreational flying and personal transport. Its significance lies in its role as a local aviation hub during a period of major growth in the Huntsville-Madison area, before being consumed by the very expansion it was part of.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening Palmer Field. The land has been irreversibly and densely developed for residential use. Reacquiring the numerous private properties and demolishing the homes to rebuild an airport is physically, legally, and economically infeasible.