Darby Dan Airport

The closure was a direct result of the death of its owner and primary user, John W. Galbreath. The airport was a private facility for his personal and business use. After his passing, the family had no need for the airstrip and subsequently sold a vast portion of the Darby Dan Farm property, including the airport site, to the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks for conservation and public recreation.

The site of the former airport is now part of the Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, one of the largest urban parks in the United States. The land was converted into a nature preserve. While the asphalt runway has been removed or is completely overgrown, its faint outline is still visible in satellite imagery as a long, straight clearing in the woods and fields. The area is now used for public recreation, including hiking, bird watching, and nature conservation, with bison herds roaming in a nearby enclosure. The land has been successfully reclaimed by nature.

Darby Dan Airport was a private airfield serving the world-famous Darby Dan Farm, a thoroughbred horse racing and breeding operation owned by John W. Galbreath. Galbreath was a prominent 20th-century figure: a real estate magnate, philanthropist, and owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. The airport was a symbol of his success and a practical tool for his business. He used the approximately 5,000-foot paved runway to fly his private aircraft, bringing in high-profile clients, business partners, and potential horse buyers directly to his sprawling estate. It allowed him to conveniently manage his diverse interests in real estate, sports, and horse racing from his Ohio home base. The airport primarily handled general aviation traffic, including business jets and turboprops of the era.

None. There are no plans or prospects for reopening the airport. The land is permanently protected as part of a public metro park system dedicated to conservation and recreation. Re-establishing an airport on the site would be legally, environmentally, and logistically infeasible.