Provincial Heritage Place
Saint John Municipal Airport, Millidgeville
Saint John, New Brunswick
Also known as Millidgeville Airport, Aéroport de Millidgeville, Former Millidgeville Airport
View down Donaldson Street which was built over the old airport runway and the Commemorative Monument that was installed in 2010.
Photo: Department of Wellness, Culture and Sport - Heritage Branch
- Recognized
- 2010
- By
- Province of New Brunswick
The register’s text, word for word
Description
The Saint John Municipal Airport, Millidgeville Provincial Heritage Place is commemorated by a monument and plaque on the grounds of M. Gerald Teed Memorial School in what is now the north end of the City of Saint John. It is located within the boundary of the former grounds of what was once Saint John’s municipal airfield. Sightlines provide a view down a residential street, Donaldson Street, once the main runway.
Heritage value
The Saint John Municipal Airport, Millidgeville, the prime landing field for the City of Saint John from 1928 to 1951, is designated a Provincial Heritage Place for its association with aviation history in New Brunswick.
Many notable pilots are associated with the former airport. It was a staging area for the aerial trans-Atlantic crossing by Amelia Earhart and others notables in the 1930’s. Three Millidgeville pilots, collectively known as the Millidgeville 3, were trained here and gave their lives while serving with the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain. Other well know pilots to utilize the airport include Captain Wendell Rodgers, a decorated WWI Ace and founding member of the Flying Club; Daphne Patterson, first Canadian female commercial pilot and member of the Ferry Command during WWII; Al Cheeseman, an early Arctic and Antarctic exploration pilot in the 1920-30’s and decorated WWII pilot; and Captain Jimmy Wade, K.C. Irving’s personal pilot, first New Brunswick-to-Grand Manan air service provider, and noted rescue pilot.
In the 1930’s, National Air Pageants took place at the site. After World War II, a Vocational Training School operated at the former airport. The airport enabled the development of a number of small airline companies and flying clubs. It was home to the corporate airline of K.C. Irving, a prominent 20th century industrialist. It was also the launching point for a number of search and rescue missions.
SourceNew Brunswick Department of Wellness, Culture and Sport – Heritage Branch, Site File #133.
Character‑defining elements
The character-defining elements of the Saint John Municipal Airport, Millidgeville Provincial Heritage Place include:
- the commemorative monument and plaque;
- the viewscape looking down Donaldson Street.
End of the register’s text
Location
5 Daniel Street, Saint John, New Brunswick, E2K, Canada
45.29700° N, 66.10221° W
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From the Canadian Register of Historic Places, as last updated on December 12, 2025. The register’s text is shown word for word.