Compton/Woodley Airport

Story

Compton/Woodley Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located two miles southwest of downtown Compton, in southern Los Angeles County, California. The FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2007–2011 categorized it as a reliever airport.It is used for general aviation as an alternative to Los Angeles International Airport about 8mi to the west.History Colonel C. S. Smith landed in an open field near the town of Compton in June 1924. Colonel Smith felt the field, owned by the local school board, would make an ideal airport location and negotiated for the airport's founding. Between 1924 and 1936 the airport and its land passed through several hands until Earl Woodley took over the lease in 1936. He purchased additional adjacent land to allow for a crosswind runway. During the war years of 1941 to 1946, civilian flying was severely restricted and the airport was used by the military as a truck depot. After the war, Mr Woodley resumed operations and eventually became owner of the land. When Mr Woodley died in 1962, the airport was threatened with closure when it was purchased by an investment company. Pilot groups, citizens, the mayor of Compton, and the entire Compton City Council encouraged the Board of Supervisors to condemn the land and allow the county to purchase it. In June 1966 the entire airport property of 77 acres was purchased for $2,948,883.