Currently an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP), K.I. Sawyer is a decommissioned U.S. Air Force Base in Marquette County, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is often known as Sawyer Village.
Located near the center of the UP, the base operated for nearly forty years before closing in 1995. Today, Sawyer International Airport, operated by the county, occupies a portion of the base and offers scheduled flights and general aviation activity.
The origins were in the mid-1930s. Kenneth Ingalls Sawyer, a Marquette County road commissioner, spearheaded the development of an airport to serve the growing mining industry, as the Negaunee Airport was unable to handle the increasing demands.
In 1941, Sawyer presented his plan for a new airport, and the county board agreed to it. Shortly afterward, the United States entered into World War II, and the U.S. Army Air Force was encouraged to take over the new airfield to provide protection for Great Lakes navigation and the Soo Locks. However, the proposal was shelved at the time.
Mr. Sawyer died in 1944, and the airfield, which then consisted of one runway, was named K.I. Sawyer in his honor. The airport was used by private fliers for a few years, and Nationwide Airlines began operated commercial flights out of K.I. Sawyer in 1948.
In 1954, the U.S. Air Force began negotiations to lease the airfield, proposing a jet base that could be used by the Air Force as well as area citizens. The following year, the United States government signed a 99-year lease, and immediately began enlarging the airport and building military support facilities.
In 1956, the United States government appropriated funds to build a civil airport in Negaunee Township so that the U.S. Air Force could have sole use of K.I. Sawyer.
In 1993, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommended the closure of the K.I. Sawyer Air Base. This presented a huge economic impact, as the base and the housing area surrounding it represented the second-largest city in the Upper Peninsula.
Today, there are still a lot of empty buildings, but the residential area functioned as an unincorporated community and K.I. Sawyer was recently designated as a census-designated place for the purposes of the U.S. Census.
Besides the large airport operations, the K.I. Sawyer Heritage Air Museum operated on the airport grounds, the Red Fox Run Golf Course is just east of the airport, and the surrounding area provides hunting, fishing, boating, and winter sports opportunities, as well as venues within the CDP.
The chief routes through the community, are M-94 and M-553. Cities and villages within twenty-five miles of K.I. Sawyer includes Marquette, Negaunee, Chatham, and Ishpeming, while the unincorporated communities of Little Lake and Gwinn are within ten miles.
Topics related to the community or census-designated place known as K.I. Sawyer is appropriate for this category, as are those related to the now decommissioned K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, or websites representing any businesses, industries, schools, churches, organizations, attractions, or events within the community.
Recommended Resources
Air Force Civil Engineer Center: Former K.I. Sawyer AFB
Originally established as K.I. Sawyer County Airport in 1949, named for Kenneth Ingalls Sawyer, who was instrumental in the development of the base, the U.S. government signed a 99-year lease to establish the K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base at the site in 1955. In January of 1956, the base became the home of the 473rd Fighter Group, a unit of the Eastern Air Defense Command, which later became the 56th Fighter Group, which hosted the 4042nd Strategic Wing. Its history is told here.
https://www.afcec.af.mil/Home/BRAC/K-I-Sawyer/
Situated on Scorpion Road in K.I. Sawyer, Michigan, the K-5 public school campus is part of Gwinn Area Community Schools. Featured are a staff directory, administrative contacts, office hours, a school schedule, lunch menu, and announcements. Other resources include a student handbook, school supply list, and foodservice information, as well as information about safety drills, registration information, and notices of other events. A calendar of events may be viewed by month, week, or day.
https://ses.gwinnschools.org/
K.I. Sawyer Heritage Air Museum
Situated on the grounds of Sawyer International Airport, the former location of K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, the museum honors the history of the men and women who served at the base in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Its location is shown on a map, directions are offered, and its seasonal hours are published on the site. K.I. Sawyer memorials are shown in photos and a photo gallery highlights the facilities, as well as its historical context. An online shopping area offers a variety of items.
https://kishamuseum.org/
Three minutes from Sawyer International Airport in K.I. Sawyer, Michigan, the 18-hole golf course features a pro shop, golf cart storage building, clubhouse, on-site grill, a driving range and practice area. The clubhouse features a full-service bar, large flat-screen televisions, and daily food specials. Its menu and hours are posted on the site. Outings can be arranged for small and large groups through the pro shop. A membership form may be downloaded from the site, and green fees are posted.
https://www.redfoxrun.com/
Sawyer International Airport occupies the former K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, but it was a county airport before it became a base in 1957. Opened in 1999, the airport currently provides access to three major hub airports, with service to more than sixty countries on six continents. Its history, administration, policies and procedures, and flight schedules are posted, flying clubs are acknowledged, and area taxis, car rentals, and public transportation are highlighted.
https://sawyerairport.com/
When the K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base closed in 1995, the Sault Tribe took ownership of 271 residential homes, a convenience store, two hangars, and a bus maintenance garage, developing them into real estate rentals marketed as Sawyer Village. Offering three and four-bedroom townhouse apartments, duplexes, and single-family homes for lease on a monthly basis. Available homes are highlighted, along with its storage facilities, maintenance services, and an introduction to the staff.
https://sawyervillage.com/
