History
The origins of K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base begin in the mid 1930s when Kenneth Ingalls Sawyer, a Marquette County road commissioner, desired to build an airport which would aid the development of the Marquette, Michigan area. The one factor which most likely influenced the establishment and final location of the airport was the growing mining industry in the local area. As the demand for iron ore increased, the need for travel increased. By 1937, the demand reached a point of air service necessity. To support this demand, an airport was built near the city of Negaunee, Michigan.
The population of the area continued to grow, and, by 1940, Sawyer realized the new Negaunee airport could not handle its ever increasing demands. Therefore, in 1941, the then-superintendent of the county highway department stepped out of his role and presented a plan for a new airport. The most significant landmarks on his proposed site were a hill of sand and a wealth of blueberry patches. The board agreed with the idea. Shortly thereafter, the United States was drawn into World War II. Local concern for the protection of the Great Lakes inter-lake navigation locks named Soo Locks at the trans-border area of Sault Sainte Marie prompted area citizens to propose that the U.S. Army Air Forces take over the new airfield. At that time, the proposal was shelved.
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