Did You Know... Valparaiso

Did you know the City of Valparaiso is the international aviation identifier on the "bag tags" of the world's largest airport? In the early 1930s, the city established Valparaiso Airport on 137 acres that they leased for $1.00 per year from local business man and aviation enthusiast James E. Plew. In 1934, Mr. Plew donated 1,460 acres adjacent to the airport to the U.S. military. This became the headquarters for the Valparaiso Bombing and Gunnery Base, which was redesignated Eglin Field in August 1937. Today, Valparaiso's municipal airport is Eglin Air Force Base, and the city's 6,500 residents live at the "back door" of one of the largest military installations in the world. The base enjoys commercial air service and encompasses 750 square miles covering three counties. The "bag tag" placed on every traveler's checked luggage contains the international aviation identifier "VPS" - from Valparaiso. Reprinted from Quality Cities November/December 2004 Back to City Trivia Home