DUBUQUE AIRWAYS INC.

1929 group photo: Top row: George Necker, Ray Fascillius, Ed Tegler, Leo Fitzpatrick, Francis Fitzpatrick, Joe Zehentner. Middle row: Don Meisner, John Ward, La Verne Pape, Louis Boxliter, Bill Koch, Mell White, Front: DeWitt Collins (instructor)

DUBUQUE AIRWAYS INC. Flying Club. Organized by Ed Tegeler and eleven other Dubuque residents in 1930, Dubuque Airways operated the airfield at NUTWOOD PARK from 1930 until 1934. Tegeler was president of the organization; Joseph ZEHENTNER, vice-president; and Don Meissner, secretary and treasurer. Needing an aircraft, Tegeler and eleven other charter members each contributed $250 towards the purchase of a Stinson Junior which the members shared for their lessons and flights. DeWitt Collins, an experienced pilot from Winthrop, became the group's instructor.

Dubuque Airways was not the first to operate the Dubuque Air field. The city of Dubuque constructed the airport on Sageville Road (U.S. 52) north of Dubuque where NUTWOOD PARK was once located and later Wickes Lumber Company. The city sublet the airport in April 1928 to W.W. McBoyle who also operated the Galena, Illinois airport. McBoyle promised to operate four planes from the Dubuque field but ceased operations after a year and a half. Dubuque Airways operation of the field resulted in 23 visiting planes, 2,333 sightseeing passengers, 65 cross country passengers and 17 students during their first year in business. Facilities at the airport were limited to a hangar and small office.

After Tegeler had four hours of flying time, the group purchased Collin's Great Lakes 2T-1A, a better training plane, and later an OX-5 Waco 90. Of the original stockholders, half soloed but only Louis Boxleiter continued in aviation as a career. In July 1931 Dubuque Airways sponsored a traveling air circus that drew large crowds including famed aviator, Charles Lindberg.

The location of the airport between bluffs on the east and west sides of the 1,320-foot sod landing strip was never popular. By July 1931 Dubuque Airways began pushing for relocating the airstrip to Hamm's Island, later called CITY ISLAND and Chaplain Schmitt Memorial Island. In February 1934, a new airport was opened after the city purchased the island for $10,000. Dubuque Airways operated this field until 1939 when the field was sold to Hal Halverson and Ralph McCaffrey.