Brooke Martin
In 1925, the City of Atlanta took over Candler Field, an abandoned auto racetrack, and committed to developing it into an airfield. The airfield was named after its former owner, Asa Candler, a Coca-Cola tycoon and former Atlanta mayor. Over the years, the airport underwent several improvements and expansions, including the construction of hangars, a control tower, and additional runways. The airport was renamed Hartsfield Airport, now Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, in honour of William B. Hartsfield, who played a pivotal role in its development. Today, Hartsfield-Jackson is the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic and aircraft movements, serving over 100 million passengers annually.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year Atlanta took over Candler Field | 1925 |
| Improvements made | A new hangar was constructed by Atlanta aviator Doug Davis in December 1926; the airport was expanded during World War II; a $250 million Hartsfield Improvement Program was completed in 1996; a new fifth runway was added as part of a $6 billion-plus, 10-year capital improvement program; a new 1.3 million square foot International Concourse E was opened |
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What You'll Learn
Atlanta's aviation history
Atlanta has a rich aviation history, with its primary international airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, becoming the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic since 1998. The airport was established in the 1920s and has gone through several transformations and improvements over the years.
The Early Years: Candler Field
In the early 20th century, Atlanta sought to establish an airfield. The city council identified the abandoned Atlanta Speedway, which had closed after a single season in 1910, as a suitable site. The land was owned by Asa Candler Sr., a Coca-Cola tycoon and former Atlanta mayor. In 1919, Candler agreed to donate the use of the property for aviation purposes.
In 1925, Asa Candler Jr. offered to lease the land, then known as Candler Field, to the city of Atlanta. The city council approved the five-year lease, and on April 16, 1925, Mayor Walter Sims signed the agreement, committing to developing the 287-acre site into an airfield. The first flight into Candler Field was on September 15, 1926, by a Florida Airways mail plane.
Atlanta Municipal Airport
In 1929, the City of Atlanta purchased Candler Field outright from Asa Candler Jr. for $100,000, as stipulated in the original lease agreement. The airport continued to grow and improve, with the construction of hangars, the addition of commercial flights, and the establishment of a weather station in 1928. By the end of 1930, Atlanta was the third busiest airport in the country for regular daily flights.
In 1940, the U.S. government declared the airport a military airfield, and during World War II, it doubled in size. In 1942, the airport's name was reaffirmed as Atlanta Municipal Airport, and by 1948, over one million passengers passed through a temporary terminal building.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
In 1961, a new $21 million terminal opened, with the city of Atlanta annexing the surrounding area. The terminal was the largest in the country at the time and could handle over six million travellers a year.
The airport has continued to undergo improvements and expansions, including the addition of a fifth runway, a new international terminal, and the Hartsfield Improvement Program in the 1990s. In 2003, to honour late Atlanta Mayor Maynard H. Jackson, the airport's name was changed to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Today, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is a major aviation hub, serving over 100 million passengers annually and offering connections to destinations worldwide.
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Candler Field lease
In 1910, The Atlanta Speedway, owned by Asa Candler Sr., closed after just one season. In 1919, Candler agreed to donate the use of the property for an "aero landing place", and grading and levelling of the site began. On 16 April 1925, a five-year lease agreement was signed by Mayor Walter Sims, committing the city to developing the site into an airfield.
The lease agreement allowed the city to use and develop the field for five years by paying the taxes assessed against the property as rental during the term of the lease. It also gave the city the option to purchase the tract for $100,000 (approximately $1.8 million today) during the five-year period. The 287-acre airfield was renamed Candler Field after its former owner, Asa Candler, a Coca-Cola tycoon and former Atlanta mayor.
The first hangar at Candler Field was constructed by Atlanta aviator Doug Davis in December 1926, and Beeler Blevins soon followed suit. Blevins was a local aviator and barnstormer who had been operating his aircraft at Candler Field for several years before the city took over. He played an influential role in the early days of the airport, offering biplane rides and providing aerial photography of the city.
In October 1927, Alderman Hartsfield organised a public appearance by Charles Lindbergh, who had recently completed the first solo transatlantic flight. Lindbergh's visit created excitement around air travel in Atlanta and helped establish it as part of the city's identity.
In March 1929, the City of Atlanta purchased Candler Field outright, one year before the five-year lease was due to end.
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Airfield development
In 1919, Asa Candler, Sr. agreed to donate a former racetrack for use as an "aero landing place". The site, which had been abandoned since 1910, was graded and levelled almost immediately. However, it wasn't until 1925 that the city council approved a five-year lease on the site, which was signed by Mayor Walter Sims on April 16, 1925. The agreement included renaming the airfield Candler Field and an option to purchase the land for $100,000.
Extensive grading and levelling of the field began soon after the lease was signed, and the first hangar was constructed by aviator Doug Davis in December 1926. Davis, along with Beeler Blevins, was an influential figure in the early days of the airport, and both men continued to operate on the land after the lease was signed. Blevins, in particular, had been using the site for several years prior to the official lease signing and his expertise influenced the city's decision to choose the site for the airport.
The first flight into Candler Field was on September 15, 1926, a Florida Airways mail plane flying from Jacksonville, Florida. In October 1927, Charles Lindbergh visited Atlanta and Candler Field in the Spirit of St. Louis, generating excitement around air travel in the city.
In March 1939, Candler Field opened its first control tower. In October 1940, the airfield was declared a military airfield by the U.S. government, and during World War II, the airport doubled in size. In 1942, the airfield was renamed Atlanta Municipal Airport.
Since then, the airport has undergone numerous improvements and expansions, including the addition of new runways, terminals, and concourses. It was renamed Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in honour of former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson. Today, it is the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic and aircraft movements.
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Improvements and expansion
In 1925, the City of Atlanta signed a five-year lease on an abandoned auto racetrack, with the intention of developing it into an airfield. The 287-acre site was renamed Candler Field, after its former owner, Coca-Cola tycoon Asa Candler. The first flight into Candler Field was in September 1926, and the airport officially opened on 31 December 1928.
Over the next few years, Candler Field underwent significant improvements and expansion. In 1927, Charles Lindbergh flew to Candler Field in the Spirit of St. Louis, creating a huge amount of excitement and publicity for the airport. This was followed by the construction of several hangars, including those built by Doug Davis and Beeler Blevins, who were influential figures in the early days of the airport. In 1928, Candler Field's weather station became the official location for Atlanta's weather observations.
In 1929, the City of Atlanta purchased Candler Field outright, and the airport continued to expand and improve. By the end of 1930, it was the third busiest airport in the country, with sixteen daily arriving and departing flights. In 1939, the airport's first control tower opened, and in October 1940, the U.S. government declared it a military airfield. During World War II, the airport doubled in size and set a record of 1,700 takeoffs and landings in a single day, making it the nation's busiest in terms of flight operations.
In 1948, the airport officials temporarily moved operations into a war-surplus hangar as plans were developed to build a larger terminal. In 1957, Atlanta was the country's ninth-busiest airline airport by flight count and a similar ranking by passenger count. Work began on a new $21 million terminal, which opened in May 1961. The new terminal was the largest in the country at the time and could handle over six million travellers a year.
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Atlanta's busiest airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is Atlanta's busiest airport and has been the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic since 1998, except for 2020 when travel was restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, Hartsfield-Jackson served 108.1 million passengers, the most of any airport in the world. It is also the world's busiest airport by aircraft movements.
The airport began as Candler Field in 1925. It was originally a 287-acre abandoned auto racetrack called the Atlanta Speedway, owned by Coca-Cola tycoon and former Atlanta mayor Asa Candler. In March 1925, the city council approved a five-year lease on the property, which was signed by Mayor Walter Sims in April. The agreement allowed the city to use and develop the field for five years by paying the taxes assessed against the property as rental during the term of the lease. It also gave the city the option to purchase the tract for $100,000 during the five-year period. The airport was officially named Candler Field in December 1925.
Over the years, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has undergone several improvements and expansions. In 1948, a new terminal building was constructed, and in 1957, work began on a new $21 million terminal, which opened in 1961. In 1996, the $250 million Hartsfield Improvement Program was completed, which included the addition of a three-story, 250,000-square-foot atrium. In the 2000s, the airport opened its new 1.3 million square foot International Concourse E, the largest single international facility in the nation at the time. In recent years, the airport has also added a fifth runway, the largest public works project in Georgia history, and a new international terminal.
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Frequently asked questions
The City of Atlanta took over Candler Field in 1925, when Mayor Walter Sims signed a five-year lease on the land, which was an abandoned auto racetrack.
The land was originally owned by Asa Candler Sr., who agreed to donate the use of the property for an "aero landing place" in 1919. The site was graded and levelled, and local pilots like Beeler Blevins began using it as an airfield. However, the land sat idle for several years until the city of Atlanta took over.
After taking over Candler Field, the city of Atlanta began developing it into a major airport. The first hangar was constructed by aviator Doug Davis in 1926, and Beeler Blevins soon followed suit. The airport officially opened on December 31, 1928, and in 1929, a new control tower was added. Over the years, the airport continued to expand and improve, eventually becoming the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic in 1998.
