ADAMS COUNTY, COLORADO
FORGOTTEN PAST OF ADAMS COUNTY, VOL. I
FEDERAL HEIGHTS AIRPORT
100th & Federal
Location & Description
The Federal Heights Airport, also known as Ruston Airport, located at 100th & Federal, was formed in
1944, by Mr. Harry H. Ruston. His idea for the airport was that some of the World War II pilots
would like to keep flying.
Ruston Airport was the first private airport in Colorado. It consisted of one hanger, one hundred
four feet long, ninety-seven feet wide, and twenty-five feet high. It was used for major engine repairs. A second building, thirty-one feet wide and seventy feet long, was used for two classrooms, one with plane simulators and one which became a cafe, the "Pilots Perch."
There were four runways constructed which could be extended to eight thousand feet if needed. The
runways were: N-S 3900 feet long; N-W 2600 feet long; N-W and S-E 2800 feet long.
The airport was a training center for Regis College and Denver University. There were only two accidents during its life, one related to the schools: a student took a plane in the mountains and was caught in a down draft resulting in the loss of the plane, with not a scratch on the pilot. The second incident was when a pilot hit some power lines. Luck prevailed again; the plane was lost, but the pilot was not injured.
The elevation of the property is 5,550 feet; latitude is 39 degrees 52 minutes 30 seconds; and longitude 105 degrees 01 minute 15 seconds. It is located about four and one-half miles north of Denver City limits on North Federal Boulevard in Adams County.
It contains 320 acres of land. Description:
East half of Section 17
Township 2
North Range 68 West
The Postal address was 1100 North Federal Boulevard, Denver 11, Colorado; the nature of the land was
gently sloped with drainage running to the North & Northeast and South & Southwest. The far South portion had rolling hills.
Closing of the Airport came about because of housing developments. The two largest were Broomfield
Heights, about four miles Northwest, and Thornton, a very successful community two miles East. A
home building project Deza Estates, were built by Art Swanson. They were constructing contemporary
homes in the price range of $20,000 to $35,000.
Final Use Of Property
Between the years 1957 and 1960, the Jefferson County Airport took all the business from Ruston Airport. Mr. Ruston closed his airport in 1961. It took him three years to get out of debt.
After the closing of the airport, Mr. Ruston was appointed Attorney General of the State of Colorado, and was also the Inheritance Tax Collector for the State.
The buildings are now occupied by two different businesses: one is the "Flight Deck Restaurant;" the other is a carpet store.
Acknowledgements
Kenneth J. Hardison, Federal Aviation Administration
Harry H. Ruston
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This Page Was Last
Updated On: 09/30/2004
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