Thursday, February 19, 2026 |
Photo – Medicine Bow Airport – Courtesy Vernon Lovejoy
Conservation work at the Medicine Bow Airport is still on hold while the state works to identify the source of a mysterious odor.
Built in 1929, the Medicine Bow Airport, officially known as Site 32, served the transcontinental airmail route, guiding pilots with its concrete arrow between Salt Lake City, Utah, and Omaha, Nebraska. The runway hosted several notable aviators, including Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, and Elrey Jeppesen, a key figure in the development of modern aerial navigation charts. Because of 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 highlighted the importance of the town‑owned 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.
The board focused on restoring electrical service to the site and stabilizing the nearly 100‑year‑old weather station. However, progress stalled last summer after pilots reported a strong fuel smell on the dirt runway.
After historical records failed to identify a source for the odor, such as an underground fuel tank, the Airport Board applied for a Brownfields grant from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality.
During the February 9th Medicine Bow Town Council meeting, Councilman Lee Cook, who serves as the governing body’s liaison to the Airport Board, reported that DEQ representatives spent two days testing the area, but have not identified the source of the chemical smell. Councilman Cook also said the tarp protecting the weather station roof has torn away, causing additional damage, and the Airport Board has chosen not to replace it.
Last month, Bigfoot99 reached out to Wyoming DEQ for more information about the source of the chemical smell.
Public Information Officer Jillian Scott wrote that the odor is likely historical in nature and that collected core samples and other data will help determine if contamination is present. Scott added that due to the age of the facility, it may not be possible to pinpoint a specific event that caused the release.
Bigfoot99 also asked how the material would be cleaned up. Scott stated that it is too early to know what, if any, remediation may be needed. The plan will depend on the sample analysis. The public information officer added that lab results are expected in a few weeks, followed by a final report shortly after. As of this report, neither Bigfoot99 nor the Medicine Bow Airport Advisory Board have received DEQ’s final report.
Meanwhile, the Medicine Bow Airport Advisory Board is seeking a new member, preferably someone with experience managing an airport. The position is open to all Carbon County residents. Letters of interest may be submitted to the Medicine Bow Town Hall during regular business hours.
