Sometime in 1920 a Curtis JN-4 "Jenny" being flown by an early barnstormer ran into engine trouble, while flying near Johnson City all he had were the mountains and unbroken green massive forest. The Pilot was gliding toward the Watauga river, the ground coming up fast when he cleared some trees and saw an open knoll below him. He dropped onto the grass and came to a stop.The Pilot stood up in the
cockpit and pulled his Goggles and Leather helmet off. John who's family owned the field that the crippled Jenny landed in said "It wasn't long before several barnstormers asked if they could keep their planes in the field." They started putting on air shows every weekend Herb Twomey was the main Pilot. He was a Daredevil he'd take up passengers do aerobatics and also do parachute drops. They had good crowds and it went on for many years. John ran a concession stand at the airfield. Barn Stormers like The Flying Ace Air Circus preformed. "They've always called it the Johnson City Airport but the city has never put one Penny into it." In 1927 Charter flights began at The little Johnson City Airport using a Stinson TriMotor that carried 14 people. John said different people have rented the field over the years He couldn't put a date on the airport's inception. "It wasn't built it just sort of evolved" He said.
