Airport Information

Goodwin Field, situated just west of El Dorado, Arkansas, traces its roots back to 1941 when federal authorities identified the need for a more expansive airfield serving the El Dorado area. At the time, regional air travel was managed by a smaller municipal airport south of the downtown district. Since that site lacked expansion potential, a new location was required. The City Airport Commission and the U.S. Army Air Corps selected a 1,400-acre tract roughly eight miles outside the city. Construction commenced in 1943, leading to the first aircraft landing in April 1944 and a formal dedication on July 15, 1944. Although initially intended for military use, the facility was soon deemed surplus and transferred to the City of El Dorado for civil aviation. In September 1944, it was named Goodwin Field to honor former Mayor Walter Goodwin, whose leadership was vital in securing federal construction grants. Municipal operations officially began in July 1945. To achieve certification for nighttime commercial passenger services, the airport required a dedicated administration building. Planning for this structure started in late 1945, though funding was not secured until August 1947. That October, local architect John Abbott was tasked with designing a terminal that would define the airport's profile. John Benjamin Abbott was born in El Dorado on May 16, 1912. He attended Little Rock Junior College (now UALR) from 1929 to 1932 before pursuing architectural studies at the University of Illinois. Upon graduating, Mr. Abbott returned home to serve as the company architect for Lion Oil Company. He later founded his own firm in the late 1930s, a practice that continues today as CADM in El Dorado. A dedicated preservationist, Mr. Abbott remained an influential member of the South Arkansas Historical Foundation until he passed away in 2015 at the age of 99. During the era of the terminal's design, Abbott was exploring the possibilities of concrete construction. This period produced several local landmarks, including the El Dorado Memorial Stadium in 1946, the American Legion Hut in 1949, and the Royal Crown Cola Building in 1950. The airport terminal shared this structural DNA; like his other projects, the walls, floors, and roofs were predominantly cast-concrete, all reflecting the elegant Streamline Moderne architectural style. Streamline Moderne emerged from Art Deco around 1932, serving as a functional, sleek response to the era's economic constraints. While it retained the geometric foundations of Art Deco, the aesthetic favored simplified, smooth surfaces and horizontal lines over verticality. Signature elements include rounded corners, large glass sections, and sweeping graphic contours. Though rare in Arkansas, the state hosts notable examples like the John Brown Watson Memorial Library in Pine Bluff, War Memorial Stadium, the Memorial Clinic in McGehee, Monticello’s Memorial Classroom Building, and the Crossett Municipal Auditorium. The Goodwin Field Administration Building was finalized in late 1949 with a budget of $110,000—equivalent to roughly $1.3 million today. Soon, the terminal hosted regular commercial flights connecting El Dorado to Dallas, Shreveport, Baton Rouge, Mobile, and Little Rock. The building remained largely unchanged for decades until the early 2000s, when post-9/11 security requirements mandated internal modifications. In 2005, a new entry canopy and loading zone covers were added. Despite facing the threat of demolition in recent years, the airport was saved through community efforts and is currently undergoing restoration to modernize its utility while honoring its historic architectural legacy. Information was provided by Arkansas Modernism, Mason Toms, June 11, 2021.