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Located North of Hope, Arkansas, the 50,078-acre Southwestern Proving Ground was used by the U.S. Army between 1942 and 1945 to test ammunition, projectiles, mortars, rockets, grenades, and bombs. At its peak, the Proving Ground had about 700 full-time employees.
The construction of the Southwestern Proving Ground was part of the U.S. Government's National Defense Program which provided factories for the manufacture of munitions, airplanes and tanks in preparation for an eventual war.
Upon completion, the Proving Ground had the third longest runway in the United States. Opening day programs were postponed due to the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
After the war, the City of Hope received the facility, becoming Hope Municipal Airport in 1947.
Shown below are pictures of the airport's hangar as seen in February, 2006. All photographs are Copyright
Ken Freeman, Epagentry.
Above image
of the Hope Airport courtesy of GeoStor
Arkansas' Official GeoData Clearinghouse
Click to access the fantastic GIS site built by the State of Arkansas!
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