Airport History

The well-oiled machine that we now call the Chehalis-Centralia Airport was nothing but a 600-acre farm, owned by the Donahoe family, before a portion of it was developed and sold to Lewis County back in 1927. Not much happened on this piece of land until the dedication of an airstrip and the opening of the Riverside golf course on May 21, 1927. Before the dedication, Paul Donahoe constructed an aircraft maintenance facility which consisted of an office and a hangar, and the area was cleared to make way for a turf runway.

In 1928 the airport acquired 50 additional acres to its original 44 for the future development of the property. One year later the federal government recognized Chehalis-Centralia Airport as one of "The Best in the West."

Just before World War II, Lewis County joined with the City of Chehalis in joint ownership of the land, which then became known as the City-County Airport. At this time the airport managed 95 acres of land and would later purchase more than 200 acres surrounding the airport.

During WWII, the government temporarily took control of the airfield and used it for a training facility along with an area for diversion in case of an emergency.  Within this time period, the government spent $798,799 for the development of two 5,000 foot runways, dikes, and a drainage system. After the war, the county-city board resumed control and the first commercial service began with a scheduled carrier called West Coast Airlines. West Coast Airlines provided service until its cancellation in 1958.  Shortly after, the airport was annexed to the city of Chehalis.

The instrumental Airport Board, was organized in 1961 and Centralia became a partner. The Airport Board was dissolved in 2013. 31 years later an updated plan closed runways 1-19 due to extreme buckling to its surface. In 1983 a Medium Intensity Runway Lighting System (MIRL) was installed on Runway 16-34.

The airport has recovered beautifully from 2007's flood and currently has 67 based aircraft. There are 10 conventional hangars and 48 T-hangers, and a few years ago a project for a runway viewing area was completed for everyone to come and enjoy the air traffic on the southeast side of the field. Every day the airport administration is working to improve the 444 acres of property it manages.