Business View Magazine | October 2020

165 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2020 started using the landing strip. In 1964, a group of local pilots pooled resources to lease the land and used it as a runway for their recreational flying. Around the same time, the Interstate Highway System was being developed. Southwest Virginia was becoming more connected to the rest of the country and industry was coming to the region. Washington County leaders felt an airport was needed to capitalize on the new potential for development. The county joined forces with the Town of Abingdon, and with the help of state and federal government, acquired additional property and built a paved runway. It quickly became apparent that what was then a 2,800-foot long, 40-foot wide runway was not adequate to cover the area’s air transportation needs. Aviation in the United States was developing rapidly, and the Airport’s runway limitations meant it would continue primarily serving recreational pilots. Oak Park: Center for Business & Industry It’s Where You Want to Be. Pad-Ready Sites Ranging in Size from 11-70 Acres Park Infrastructure In-Place Less Than 2 Miles to I-81 Interchange Located in an Opportunity Zone and Virginia Enterprise Zone www.washingtoncountyva.com 1 Government Center Place, Suite A, Abingdon, Virginia 24210 | 276.525.1300 For those who enjoy a beautiful landscape to grow and explore, Washington County, Virginia, offers business-building advantages among life-enriching amenities, built with a work ethic forged in the history of the region, a blend of past success and future progress that helps move business forward at a pace of your choosing. Washington County, Virginia V I RGINI A HIGHLANDS A I RPORT