Holden Beach Airstrip

Yes, Holden Beach did have an airstrip for small planes from 1948 until October, 1954. During the late 1940s the beach began to develop at a faster rate and my father, the late Luther S. Holden, believed such facilities would attract people with financial resources to build homes on the beach.

Several people suggested the airstrip could be built parallel to Ocean Boulevard, beginning where Shrimp Street is now and extending to Blockade Runner Street. The recommended width was three hundred feet. At that time there was no development on the north side of Ocean Boulevard between Old Ferry Road and where Blockade Runner Street is now.

After Dad became interested in building the airstrip, he had difficulty finding a contract with the heavy equipment to do such a job. Brunswick County did not have such a contractor at that time. Dad consulted Z.A. Sneeden, Sr. in Wilmington, who had done road building for the North Carolina Highway Department. Mr. Sneeden looked at what Dad wanted done. The two agreed on the price; however, Mr. Sneeden said at the price they agreed upon, the work would have to be done during the winter months when the weather prevented highway construction.

Mr. Sneeden had problems getting his heavy equipment across on the "Old Ferry." Highway officials said the load limit on the ferry would not support the heavy equipment. Mr. Sneeden offered to sign papers relieving the state from liability for any and all damage that could happen to the "Old Ferry." Plans to build a new ferry had begun, but completion was about two years away.

After a court battle in Raleigh with the Highway Department, Mr. Sneeden was granted permission to bring his equipment across the ferry under the following conditions: He must accept all responsibility for his equipment and sign a safety bond to cover any and all damage to state property. He did bring his equipment across the ferry without damage to his equipment or to state property.

The airstrip had a Bermuda turf base and was useful during the period of operation. No pilot had an accident while landing or taking off from this airstrip.

Menhaden fishing along the Brunswick County coast was big business in the 1940s and 1950s. There were two large processing plants at Southport. My brother, Kemp R. Holden was employed as a fish spotter for one of these factories for about two years. During this period he flew his plane from the Holden Beach airstrip.

The greatest excitement created by the airstrip occurred when the North Carolina Aviation Club came to Holden Beach one Sunday morning. Thee were a total of twenty-nine planes on the airstrip that morning. The members of this club were owners or operators of small planes; they flew to areas of interest to meet with friends and have breakfast.

Carl Goerch, Editor of State Magazine at that time, was active in this group and was with the club when they came to Holden Beach. The club ate breakfast at the J&K Cafe, which was in my first old pavilion. How many remember?

After Hurricane Hazel, my father decided it would be several years before an airstrip would be needed again and he started a residential development in the area.