ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Lambert International Airport celebrated its 100-year anniversary on Thursday.
On June 18, 1920, Major Albert Bond Lambert and the Missouri Aeronautical Society leased 170 acres of farmland in St. Louis County to serve as an airfield, according to a press release.
Major Lambert paid the rent and had the site cleared, graded, drained and had a hangar built — all at his own expense. After that, he offered free use of the field to anyone who wanted to use it.
The City of St. Louis bought the property in 1928, becoming one of the first municipal-owned airports in the country, the release said.
During the next two decades, more than $17 million was invested in improvements and expansion of the airport. Major Lambert spearheaded those efforts until his death in 1946.
Lambert airport is one of the most historic airports in the U.S., serving more than 16 million passengers a year.
“With the oldest municipal airport in the country, the City of St. Louis has always been a transformative and resilient leader in aviation,” said Mayor Lyda Krewson. “Over the last 100 years, we’ve been home to international airlines and aerospace manufacturers that revolutionized global air travel, and our iconic airport design has inspired several other airport terminals around the world.”
To celebrate 100 years, the airport unveiled a rendering of glass artwork honoring Major Lambert. The design includes a diagram of a hot air balloon and aircraft from throughout aviation history, the release said.
The artwork will be installed in the fall.
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