Presentation by Ted Russell, Curator
Burgess Museum at the Plum Island Airport

The Great Marsh in Newbury was the site of New England’s first flying field. W. Starling Burgess
built a hanger and wooden runway where the dunes meet the marsh near Parking Lot #2 in the
Parker River NWR. The planes were brought there by boat; numerous test flights occurred and
crowds visited the airfield to watch. Learn about Burgess, his colleagues, and the intrepid pilots
who worked here from April to August 1910 to perfect their aircraft and their skills. Hear about
Plum Island airport’s use for civil defense, pilot training, commerce and and recreation. The Little
family donated the airfield and their historic Spencer-Peirce-Little farm; the airport is currently the
property of Historic New England and operates under the name Plum Island Aerodrome, Inc.
Ted Russell is a professional genealogist; he retired from GE Aviation after a 36-year engineering
career. He is a co-founder and past president of Plum Island Community Airfield, a grassroots
group that saved the airport from closing in 2001. Ted led a team of local volunteers to found the
Burgess Aviation Museum in 2002.