Andrau Airpark
Encyclopedia
Andrau Airpark was a public use airport located in the Alief community of Houston, Texas
, United States
, formerly an unincorporated section of Harris County
, from the late 1940s through 1998. The airport was southeast of the intersection of Old Westheimer road and Richmond Avenue. The airport closed in 1998 and as of 2008 is the Royal Oaks Country Club subdivision.
, was owned by descendants of the Andrau family.
The airport served general aviation for west Houston, but a Douglas DC-3
and an A-26C Invader
are known to have landed there. The airport had two runways, the longest at 4,750 feet, and a seaplane
landing and takeoff pond
on the east end of the airpark.
The airport was closed on December 23, 1998 when a Houston real estate firm paid Andrau Airpark Inc., the airport's owners, 53 million dollars for the land. The tract went under contract to the Camden Property Trust. On December 23, 1998 the new owners of the airport shut its operations. The airport was quickly demolished and the Royal Oaks Country Club subdivision and a golf course replaced the field.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, formerly an unincorporated section of Harris County
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
, from the late 1940s through 1998. The airport was southeast of the intersection of Old Westheimer road and Richmond Avenue. The airport closed in 1998 and as of 2008 is the Royal Oaks Country Club subdivision.
Airport History
The first known photo of the area is from 1953. The 700 acres (283.3 ha) tract of land that included the airport, which was one of the oldest private airfields in Greater HoustonGreater Houston
Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown is a 10-county metropolitan area defined by the Office of Management and Budget. It is located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas...
, was owned by descendants of the Andrau family.
The airport served general aviation for west Houston, but a Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
and an A-26C Invader
A-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
are known to have landed there. The airport had two runways, the longest at 4,750 feet, and a seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
landing and takeoff pond
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
on the east end of the airpark.
The airport was closed on December 23, 1998 when a Houston real estate firm paid Andrau Airpark Inc., the airport's owners, 53 million dollars for the land. The tract went under contract to the Camden Property Trust. On December 23, 1998 the new owners of the airport shut its operations. The airport was quickly demolished and the Royal Oaks Country Club subdivision and a golf course replaced the field.