In the post-World War II years, the resurgence of civil aviation prompted a Los Angeles County businessman to establish a badly needed facility in the northeast end of San Fernando Valley.

This businessman, Mr. Marvin E. Whiteman, Sr., established an airpark on his privately- owned land and later leased additional acreage from the County. Used at no cost to aviators, excepting tie downs and fuel fees, the airfield has provided a home for an ever- increasing number of aircraft since 1946; and today, over 600 private aircraft use the facility.

With the steady decrease of airports within Los Angeles County and with the threat of Whiteman Airpark becoming an industrial park, the County Aviation Commission recommended to the Board of Supervisors that the site be acquired for airport purposes. In addition to County-owned property, Los Angeles County had only to purchase 32 acres of Whiteman's private land. With the assistance of State Airport Funds, the County consummated the acquisition on August 17, 1970.

On May 29, 1909, 191.00 acres of land were purchased for $19,685.18 from Mr. and Mrs. L. C. Gates for Road Department's use as a rock quarry. Later, on April 12, 1938, the property was designated for park pu. ',Joao and known as Roger Jessup County Park. Now, after 60 years, the appraised value of the site, public and private, is approximately $55,000,000. Planned improvements in the area will cause the value to continue to increase.

A massive repair and renovation project has been underway ever since the County acquired the fee title ownership. The airport now encompasses 184 acres of land; and many improvements have been made to the existing fixed base operator hangars, tie down areas, runways and taxiways and a Federal Aviation Administration-approved and funded control tower was installed on October 1, 1988.

To observe the urbanization trend in Southern California, it is not hard to see that an airport like Whiteman, already the home of over 600 aircraft, is needed by the people of Los Angeles County for aviation recreation, instruction, and transportation.

At present, with existing refurbished facilities, Whiteman Airport provides a very useable general utility class airport at a low operational cost. It is located at an excellent site in the northeasterly area of San Fernando Valley. Planned improvements will provide greater capacity and safer separations in accord with Federal Aviation Standards with practically no change in the amount of airspace and surrounding land being affected in contrast to the existing, operating airport.