A new historical marker for Carter Airport was unveiled Saturday morning at the top of Airport Drive and 600 East. The location, which once served as the entrance to the airport, offered views of the valley during the ceremony.
Danaca Hadfield, a member of the Lehi Historical Marker Unveiling Committee, noted that the placement is a perfect spot that serves as a reminder of flight.
In 1962, Vern and Jessie Carter purchased 60 acres in Lehi to create an open airstrip. This was the third airport established by the couple in Utah. The facility included a large hangar for airplane storage, maintenance, and repairs, and provided FFA-recognized flight training, air taxi services, and sightseeing trips.
While the airport featured both flight instruction from Vern and ground school run by Jessie, the vision was cut short when Vern died suddenly in 1966, only 20 days after the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Ray L. Carter, the son of Vern and Jessie, stated that his father was an integral part of the operation and that his death caused the dreams for the airport to fade.
Following Vern's death, Jessie leased the airport to A.A. Aviation and later to Jerry W. Brailsford until operations ceased in 1972.
The unveiling included a historical sketch by Kimberly Carter, the granddaughter of Vern and Jessie. She recounted Vern's early flight training in Los Angeles and his time as a stunt pilot in the 1927 film Wings. Ray L. Carter also shared an anecdote regarding a trip to California to meet Howard Hughes, during which several pilots recognized Vern as their former instructor.
During the event, descendants of the Carter family joined in pulling the red velvet cloth off the marker. The ceremony also featured KSL’s Chopper 5 and provided Chick-fil-A sandwiches for attendees.
The Carter Airport historical marker is the 18th marker created under the Lehi Historical Marker Program. The program was established in 2022 following funding from the John David and Danaca Hadfield family of HADCO Construction and a grant from Lehi City PARC.
Event sponsors for 2026 included Strata Networks and SIRQ Construction, while Chick-fil-A sponsored the unveiling with sandwiches. For more information on Lehi history, individuals can visit lehihistory.org.
