History of Alexandria Field

Established in 1944

"History knows no resting places and no plateaus."

 "Tall Oaks From Little Acorns Grow"
Anonymous

Alexandria Field was built by brothers, William and Paul Fritsche in 1944.  Over sixty years ago, cows and airplanes cohabited on the rural strips of runway situated on property owned by the family since the mid - 1800’s.  The Fritsches, a family of entrepreneurs, have through the generations initiated a number of highly successful enterprises on the property; a dairy business, the first successful Polled Hereford herd in New Jersey, one of the earliest Christmas tree farms in the state, home of the Magic of Alexandria Balloon Festival for 10 years and currently N85 is a general aviation facility with an active Airpark.

Paul (left) Bill (right) Balloon Fest (80-100 balloons)

Bill Fritsche was the airports Chief Flight Instructor.  He learned how to fly in the 1930’s from his brother-in-law, Marvin Everett, a Navy flight instructor and Pan Am pilot.  During World War II, Fritsche helped others take to the skies as a flight instructor for the Army Air Corps.  Following the war, he turned down a pilot position with American Airlines and decided to open Alexandria Field.  The airport was built into a solid business featuring flight instruction, reliable air charter service and aircraft maintenance as the family continued to farm.

Flight Instructor Bill Fritsche fourth from left

Hangars were slowly constructed in between farming and flying.  At the time of Bill’s death in 1979 he had built up over 30,000 hours of flight time and hangared about 60 planes while teaching many of the young men in the community the wonders of flight.  He also soloed all four of his children on their sixteenth birthdays and his wife, Leah on her 59th birthday. 

Today Alexandria Field is owned and operated by two of Bill’s children: Will Fritsche and Linda Fritsche Castner.  The airport received the Fred L. Wehran Aviation Achievement Award in 1995 for 50 years in business and for being the site of a major east coast balloon festival.  In 2004 William Melvin Fritsche was inducted into the New Jersey Aviation Hall of Fame for his contributions to General Aviation.