Trumbull Airport/Jetport Threat

Name/Title

"Trumbull Airport/Jetport Threat"

Entry/Object ID

2026.002.001

Scope and Content

2 binders containing a collection of news clippings, photographs, correspondence, studies, reports and committee records compiled by Sanford Treat Meech and organized by Sidney Van Zandt concerning a federal proposal to develop the Trumbull Airport into a jetport and the Regional Organization for Airway Restudy (ROAR) from 1961-1977. Binder 2 also includes a collection of news clippings and records relating to Trumbull airport and Sanford "Sandy" Treat Meech compiled by Sidney Van Zandt, 1978-2016. The Groton/New London Airport was established as the first State of CT airport in 1929 and was originally named for State Governor Jonathan Trumbull. During WWII the airport was designated as the Groton Army Air Field and served as a training center for pilots and aircrews. Ownership was later transferred to the U.S. Navy and then back to State of CT in 1949. In the 1960s -1970s the airport was the subject of a federal proposal for expansion and development into a jetport. This proposal was heavily opposed by many residents of Groton. Chief among the opponents was Sanford T. Meech, who organized the Regional Organization for Airway Restudy (ROAR) to study the potential noise pollution and other impacts of the airport expansion on the community. In 1980 the airport's name was changed to the Groton-New London Airport and it is now one of two State owned airports with commercial air carrier service.

Collection

Van Zandt Collection

Acquisition

Accession

2026.002

Source or Donor

Sidney Van Zandt

Acquisition Method

Donation

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Scrapbook

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Album

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Memorabilia

Nomenclature Class

Documentary Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Search Terms

Trumball Airfield, Trumbull Airport, Groton - New London Airport

Archive Details

Creator

Sidney Van Zandt, Sanford T. Meech

Date(s) of Creation

1961 - 2016

Primary Language

English

Provenance

Notes

Admin or Biographical History: The Groton/New London Airport was established as the first State of CT airport in 1929 and was orginally named for State Governor Jonathan Trumbull. During WWII the airport was designated as the Groton Army Air Field and served as a training center for pilots and aircrews. Ownership was later transferred to the U.S. Navy and then back to State of CT in 1949. In the 1960s -1970s the airport was the subject of a federal proposal for expansion and development into a jetport. This proposal was heavily opposed by many residents of Groton. Chief among the opponents was Sanford T. Meech, who organized the Regional Organization for Airway Restudy (ROAR) to study the potential impacts of the airport expansion on the community. In 1980 the name was changed to the Groton-New London Airport and it is now one of two State owned airports with commercial air carrier service. Custodial History: Material from 1961-1977 was compiled by Sanford T. Meech and organized into binders by Sidney Van Zandt in 1978. Additional records were added by Sidney from 1978-2016. In 2018, Sidney re-organized the material to remove newsprint and place items in plastic sleeves before donating them to the Groton Public Library.