Naval Air Station Richmond

wartime blimp base · Richmond Heights

Opened

1942 to 1945

Community

Richmond Heights · census designated place

Status as of 11 September 2026

closed 1945

Historical state

pre Andrew

Connections

5 edges, 5 distinct neighbours · betweenness 0.011 (rank 42 of 371) · moves and capital only 0.000 (rank 35)

Confidence

High · sources: [A50], [A52], [T39], [T7], [T40] (register)

The Navy buys 2,000 acres from the Richmond Timber Company in 1942 and builds three wooden blimp hangars, the second largest airship base in the country. The hurricane of 15 September 1945 starts a fire that destroys the hangars, the blimps, 366 planes and 150 cars. The land later holds the University of Miami South Campus, the Gold Coast Railroad Museum from 1956 and Zoo Miami, and 800 acres of Martin's tract go to the federal government.

Connections

Lineage

• becameRichmond HeightsMartin buys the farmland beside the former base1949
• becameGold Coast Railroad MuseumMuseum begins on the base's unused railway tracks1957
• becameLarry and Penny Thompson Memorial ParkPark built on base land; directional arrow survives1977
• becameZoo MiamiZoo Miami occupies part of the former base1945
• becameMiami-Dade Military MuseumMuseum housed in the 1942 headquarters building2018

Influence

• shaped1945 hurricaneHurricane and fire destroy the base1945

Located

• located inRichmond Heights2,000 acre blimp base1942 to 1945