Gillespie County Aviation Stories


Photo of aircraft crashing onto highpower line article from Fredericksburg Standard


"A pinpoint plane landing", by Michael Barr (PDF)

Published by the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post, dated 2024

Donated light picture _Gillespie County Hsitorical Society


"Arthur Godfrey Gives Lights To Gillespie Airport" (PDF)

Published by the Fredericksburg Radio Post, dated December 28, 1955.

"A gift from Arthur Godfrey", by Michael Barr (PDF)

Published by the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post, February 20, 2019

C-47 at T82


DC-3/C-47 at Entry of Airport

C-47/DC-3 History (PDF)

Gillespie County is the birthplace of aviation


Jacob Brodbeck crash photo   Brodbeck silhouette photo of BrodbeckJacob Brodbeck Photograph

Jacob Brodbeck


Jacob Brodbeck: Flying Under the Radar (PDF)

By Michael Barr (soon to be published by the Fredericksburg Standard Radio-Post)

  • Born in Germany, Arrived in Fredericksburg in 1847 

  • Teacher, Surveyor, Commissioner

  • First man to fly in an airplane (~40 years before the Wright Brothers)

    • Date of the flight - September 20, 1865

    • Location: 3 miles east of Luckenbach 

    • Flight – Height reached (12’) and traveled 100

  • In 1967, Texas Governor John Connally named him "The Father of U.S. Aviation."


  • Gillespie County Airport host an annual "Jacob Brodbeck: First Flight" event every September.