Owens Field

The specific reason is not officially documented. As a privately owned airfield (owned by Willard G. Owens), its closure was most likely due to economic factors, the owner's retirement or death, or the sale of the land for a more profitable use. The subsequent complete conversion of the property to agricultural use strongly suggests the owner ceased aviation operations and repurposed the land.

The site of the former Owens Field is now used entirely for agriculture. The land has been plowed and is part of a larger, cultivated farm field. There are no visible remnants of the runway, hangars, or any other airport infrastructure. The coordinates point to the middle of this active farmland.

Owens Field (FAA LID: DE31) was a private general aviation airfield that served the local community for nearly 50 years, from the mid-1950s to the early 2000s. It featured a single unpaved turf runway, approximately 2,200 feet long and designated as Runway 1/19. The airfield was a typical example of the numerous small, private grass strips established across the U.S. after World War II to support a growing general aviation community. It catered exclusively to private pilots and their light aircraft and did not handle any scheduled commercial or military operations.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Owens Field. The land is privately owned and has been fully and irreversibly converted to agricultural use, making any return to aviation activities extremely improbable.