The Fairfield Historical Society’s Living Legend Series debuts its 2023 series with local air travel historian Tom Hogan at 7 p.m. March 7, at the Fairfield Community Arts Center, 411 Wessel Drive. Tom will share his family’s involvement with Hogan Flying School and the operation of the Butler County Regional Airport.
According to the Fairfield Historical Society, Tom Hogan’s family opened the Hamilton Airport in 1932. Tom’s grandparents, Emma and William Hogan, began training pilots using biplanes in a field across from the Hogan farm. The flying school became popular and added WACO planes, Aeronca and Cessna’s over the years. The family added Douglas DC-3′s after World War II. Tom’s father and uncles took over the operation of the airport until it was sold to Butler County in 1985.
The airport also hosted the annual WACO air shows and featured a variety of historic aircraft as part of the Hogan family collection, including one of two P-51H Mustangs in existence which graced the area from 1965-1977.
Future Living Legend speakers for 2023 is scheduled to include former Cincinnati Reds employee Warren Brown, train historian Dan Finfrock, Fairfield Fire Chief Thomas Lakamp, Al-Joe’s Pet & Garden Center General Manager Matt Grollmus, among others.
The program is free to the public.
For more information, go to ffhistoricalsociety.com or email ffhistoricalsociety@gmail.com.
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