June 15th 2026 |
Photo: Courtesy of Nathan James
Work is continuing to conserve the historic Medicine Bow Airport.
During the June 8th Medicine Bow Town Council meeting, Councilman Lee Cook, who also serves as the town’s liaison to the Airport Advisory Board, reported that Public Works Director Brian Lashley arranged a visit from the nonprofit pilot advocacy group, Recreational Aviation Foundation. Cook said he and 12 volunteers removed a large amount of trash and scrap metal from the area. He added that the cleanup is only the first step in restoring the historic airfield and thanked Public Works Director Brian Lashley and the Recreational Aviation Foundation for their support.
The Recreational Aviation Foundation is a charitable organization advocating for the preservation and creation of airstrips for recreational aviation.
Built in 1929, the Medicine Bow Airport, officially known as Site 32, served the transcontinental airmail route, guiding pilots between Salt Lake City, Utah, and Omaha, Nebraska. The runway hosted several famous aviators, including Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. Due to its role in the airmail system, the site is listed on the National Park Service’s Register of Historic Places.
Despite its significance, the airport sat largely unused for decades until the summer of 2024, when Colorado pilot Nathan Finneman mentioned the importance of the airfield to the Medicine Bow Town Council. Finneman’s presentation led the governing body to reform the Airport Advisory Board to oversee preservation and restoration of the historic site.
Since that time, the Airport Advisory Board has worked to preserve the remaining structures, including the original weather station and light beacon tower.
Back at the June 8th meeting, Councilman Lee Cook said a local supporter volunteered to donate a new metal roof for the weather station, while another agreed to provide plastic shingles. Cook said the metal roof is no longer available, so the Airport Advisory Board is likely to accept the plastic‑shingle donation.
While the plastic shingles are aesthetically pleasing, they are not available in a color that matches the weather station’s original roof. To maintain the site’s standing on the National Park Service’s Register of Historic Places, all restoration work must conform to the original design. Councilman Cook said the Airport Advisory Board has been given the permission to paint the shingles, adding that the work wouldn’t be necessary with a metal roof.
In the meantime, the Medicine Bow Airport Advisory Board is working with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality to remove any hazardous materials from the site, including lead‑contaminated dirt from around the weather station.
