Betsy Ross Airfield for Women Florida Historic Marker
Located at the intersection of S. Sparkman and W. Rhode Island Avenues in a growing section of Orange City, FL is the Betsy Ross Airfield for Women Florida Historic Marker. This Marker commemorates important moments in both women’s history and the history of flight in Florida.
This is a two-sided marker. The marker is set back a bit from the intersection. Use caution when visiting. There is no close parking so you will be parked on the side of the road. There are sidewalks close by to make the short walk easier.
Florida Marker Program
The Florida Historical Marker Program is one of the Division of Historical Resources’ most popular and visible public history programs. It is designed to raise public awareness of Florida’s rich cultural history and to enhance the enjoyment of our historic sites by citizens and tourists. These markers allow us to tell the stories of the places and people who created the Florida that we all enjoy today, by identifying the churches, schools, archaeological sites, battlefields and homes that represent our past.
If you wish to learn more about this state program, including qualifications, how to apply, the application, costs, and more, please use THIS LINK.
Side One:
On May 9, 1931, the land beyond this sign was donated to the Betsy Ross Air Corps, a pre-World War II organization of female pilots. Designated the Betsy Ross Airport, the airfield was the only airport in the nation entirely owned and operated by women. Its purpose was a place for female pilots to learn to fly and improve their skills. In the northeast corner of the 160-acre site was Arawana Lodge, used as the Corps regional headquarters and a place for the pilots to vacation. The vision, gift, and construction were all realized by Orange City’s Dr. Frances Dickinson. She was an educator, woman’s rights advocate, ophthalmologist and club woman. A flyer herself, Dickinson noted female pilots were not provided equal opportunity in the growing field of aviation. By 1932, Dickinson completed construction of one 1,000-foot runway and a 600-foot central axis designed to serve seven more runways. On January 13, 1932, the Betsy Ross Air Corp’s National Commander, Opal Kunz, and Lt. Commander, Lillian Perkins, assumed operations and continued development of the airfield.
Side Two:
The Betsy Ross Air Corps’ period of existence was short-lived (1931-1933), and never formally recognized by the U.S. Military. Dickinson secured funding to complete the airport construction from Florida’s Federal Emergency Relief Administration in December 1934. By 1935, Volusia County signed a five-year lease to use the airfield as an emergency landing field. After World War II, the airfield was renamed to the DeLand-Orange City Airport. In January 1945, J. Wade Coleman of the Orange State Flying Services leased the airfield to operate an educational facility. Coleman contracted with Stetson University to provide flight training supplementing the university’s existing aviation ground school courses. Before Dickinson’s death on May 19, 1945, four women earned their solo pilot’s licenses from her airfield. The field remained an active private airfield until a television tower was constructed over the western edge in the mid-1960s. Portions of the former airfield are now home to Manatee Cove Elementary and River Springs Middle School. The Compass Landing Subdivision pays tribute to the legacy of the Betsy Ross Airport and Dr. Frances Dickinson’s vision to advance women fliers.
A Florida Heritage Site
Sponsored by the City of Orange City, and the Florida Department of State
F-1197 2022
You may learn more about the Betsy Ross Air Corps using THIS LINK.
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Wood, Larry, 
