Many young people have a fascination with machines, especially cars and planes. Two Lombard natives were able to take their interests and make them into a reality that affected Lombard’s landscape.

The Miller brothers, Herbert and Emil Jr., both had an interest in aviation. Herbert was born in Chicago in 1896 and Emil Jr. in Berwyn in 1903 to Emil Sr. and Clara Miller. In 1911, Emil Sr. purchased a farm south of Lombard on what would become Roosevelt Road. The aviation industry was taking off, and according to a Lombard newspaper article printed in 1935 about the Miller brothers’,

“thoughts were divided between work in the field and stories of adventure connected with the new industry.” As children, they would frequently visit an airfield located in Cicero to observe the flying machines in action.

As Roosevelt Road and automobiles developed in the 1920s, the prominent road ran along the north edge of the Miller farm and the two young men opened a garage. The garage was located on Roosevelt and Finley; they also had a car agency called Willys Knight. While they worked on machines that stayed on the ground, they continued their interest in the ones that soared above the clouds. Herbert was so interested in aviation that he took night classes at the Lewis Institute in Chicago where he studied mechanical engineering.

The men finally began to pursue their dream of flight when, in 1927, they opened an airport located behind their garage. Then in 1929, they purchased their first airplane, which was an American Eagle. Herbert got his flight license at Sky Harbor Airport. He then worked as the instructor at the airport he ran with Emil, while Emil worked as the mechanic. When national licenses became required to fly, Herbert obtained his private license in 1936, then his commercial in 1939.

Their airport had several names, Miller’s Field, Lombard Airport, and York Township Airport. Herbert was well known to support safety when flying, as quoted in a 1935 article,

“I believe in proper caution and in the saying that there is no such individual as an old and bold flyer. The too-bold flyer doesn’t get to be old.”

The Miller brothers were always happy to engage with their community. By 1935, five plane owners made use of the Miller’s hangar at the Lombard Airport. In 1938, Lombard celebrated a half-holiday to honor the first instance of airmail being delivered to the town at the Lombard Airport, the pilot of the plane was W.H.McHale. The plane was scheduled to leave at 2:00 pm and return by 3:00. Schools were closed so that school children and their families could come to witness the event. Lombard children were encouraged to make posters for a contest; the posters were put on display at the local post office. They also held fun annual events at their airport such as a turkey raffle. Herbert served as the first Fire Chief of the Glenbard Fire Department and the first fire station was located at the airport.

In 1946, the Chicago Area Airport Survey considered the York Township Airport as a possible replacement for Midway. The report said that the airport was easily accessible by either a half-hour car or train ride from the Loop and there was “considerable area” available for expansion.

The report further stated that there was already a good deal of activity at York Township Airport and “future activity should be considered. However, expansion may prove costly on more detailed examination as low ground and roads occur on two sides of the existing area.” In the end, the airport was not selected.

Eventually, the airport was closed in 1968 when Herbert and Emill retired. The land was sold to developers and today apartments stand on what was once Lombard’s own airport. Emil later died in 1985 at the age of 82 and Herbert died in 1994 at the age of 97. Both of them lived their lives to the fullest and were able to achieve their dreams to work in aviation.

Sources:
1 Miller Airport Rates a Story in the Tribune. (1935, August 8). Spectator, pp. 1
2 Miller Airport Rates a Story in the Tribune. (1935, August 8). Spectator, pp. 2
3 Chicago Area Airport Survey: Searching for Replacement for Midway. 1946.

Written by: Claire Svehla, Lombard Historical Society Intern

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Machines on the Ground, Machines in the Sky: The Establishment of Lombard’s own Airport

Lombard Historical Society