Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport: A Century of Innovation and Growth
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) has played a significant role in the evolution of aviation in the United States. The airport, which is now a bustling hub for travelers, was once a small airfield with a single grass runway and an old farmhouse serving as its terminal. Today, MKE has grown to over 2,300 acres, serving over 6 million passengers and 100,000 flights annually. Let’s take a look at the airport’s fascinating history and how it has evolved to become the modern airport we know today.
The Golden Age of Flight and Milwaukee’s Early Days
In the early 20th century, air travel was just beginning to gain popularity. The Air Mail Act of 1925 and the Air Commerce Act of 1926 helped establish routes and safety regulations for commercial flights, leading to rapid growth in the aviation industry. In 1919, Milwaukee County established its first airfield, named Butler Airport, in Wauwatosa. This marked the beginning of Milwaukee’s involvement in the “Golden Age of Flight.
In 1926, the county purchased a private airfield owned by Thomas Hamilton, a local entrepreneur and aviator, and renamed it Milwaukee County Airport. This was the birth of what is now known as Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. The airport’s first commercial flight was operated by Alfred Lawson’s Lawson Airplane Company, taking 16 passengers from Milwaukee to Washington, D. C. and New York City.
Renovations and Expansion
As air travel continued to gain popularity, the demand for flights increased rapidly. To accommodate this growth, the airport underwent several renovations and expansions. In 1938, a new two-story brick passenger terminal was built, and in 1941, the airport was renamed General Mitchell Field after Brig. Gen. William Mitchell, an Army officer with Milwaukee roots who played a major role in the creation of the United States Air Force.
In the 1950s, the airport expanded its footprint from 163 to 1,500 acres and built a new terminal with 23 gates on Howell Avenue. This expansion marked the beginning of the airport’s modernization, with the addition of larger ticketing, baggage, and terminal storefront areas. In the 1990s, Concourse D was added, along with a new parking structure and a renovated E Concourse.
A Modern Airport
Today, Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport continues to expand and evolve. In 2005, an Amtrak station was added, making MKE one of just four airports in the country with Amtrak service. In 2008, the airport installed its iconic “Recombobulation Area” signs to help travelers reassemble themselves after passing through security.
In 2019, the airport was renamed Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport and was recognized as one of the best airports in the world by Airports Council International in both 2021 and 2022.