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| The four pictures above show the main gate to K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base as it appears in October of 2000. The main gate is located on Freedom Boulevard. The sign now refers to the civilian community known as Sawyer. |
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Far left: The old main gate at K. I. Sawyer as it appeared in September of 1962. This picture was taken looking to the northeast.
Near left: The old main gate as it appears in May of 2007. A large patch of grass and a slab of concrete in the middle of the road
is all that is left. This photo was taken looking to the northeast. Note the base water tower in the distance.
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Near right and center: Two pictures of another entrance to Sawyer taken sometime in the1960's. This is not the main gate. Note the reference
to the 62nd Fighter Squadron.
Far right: Another entrance to K. I. Sawyer. This one is located to the north of the base. The date of this photo is unknown but is probably from the late 70's or early 80's. |
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Far left: Another photo of the main gate taken around 1970.
Near left: The main gate as it appeared from 1986 until Sawyer closed on September 30, 1995.
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| Before K. I. Sawyer was closed in 1995 great efforts were made by civic and business leaders in an effort to keep the base open. You can read a 1993 article from an Upper Michigan newspaper concerning this by clicking here. |
| Aerial view of K. I. Sawyer probably taken shortly before the base was closed. A number of KC-135A and B-52H aircraft have already left the base. The 46th was deactivated on October 1, 1993. The last B-52H left in November of 1994. This picture was probably taken sometime between late 1993 and late 1994. |  |
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Another aerial view of K. I. Sawyer taken in May of 1996 shortly after the base closed. The large weapons storage area can be seen in the foreground still intact. The long winding road in the foreground is Freedom Boulevard. Picture orientation: south looking north. |
| The pictures of K. I. Sawyer below were taken in September and October of 2000. The base in general has not changed much since it was closed. The hangers and the base complex have remained for the most part the same as they were when Sawyer was open. The base water tower still says K. I. Sawyer AFB and the street signs have remained the same. The hangers are being used by general aviation and regional airline maintenance. The buildings on the base are up for lease and many are being used by private business. Some of the base housing is being rented to the civilian population, although much still remains unoccupied. As the main gate says the community is now called Sawyer. A short description is given below each set of pictures starting with the picture on the extreme left. |
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Inquiries concerning K. I. Sawyer facilities should be directed to the K. I. Sawyer Development Department /
Marquette County which is the Local Reuse Authority (LRA)
Contact information: 417 A Avenue; Email address: kisdd@lushen.com |
| A big thanks to Leeland Nellist from the 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron for spending a day with me at K. I. Sawyer in October of 2000 and identifying many of the base facilities shown in the pictures on the next few pages. |
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Far left: The old control tower located at the base operations, building number 427. The tower is in the process
of being removed. A new control tower was built just north of the ramp area and became operational shortly
before Sawyer closed.
Picture orientation: east looking west.
Near left: This photo was taken from the parking lot of the new regional airline terminal looking down
Avenue G. The light towers of the ramp are on the right and B-52 / KC-135 maintenance hanger number
667 can be seen in the center of the picture.
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Near right: A picture of B-52 / KC-135 maintenance hanger number 667 with the old control tower in the background.
This photo was taken from the intersection of Fifth Street and Avenue G.
Picture orientation: north looking south.
Far right: B-52 / KC-135 maintenance hanger number 664 with hangers 665, 666, and 667 in the background. There
is also a hanger number 668 behind number 667 which is not visible in this picture. This picture was
taken from Avenue C.
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Far left: A picture of B-52 / KC-135 maintenance hangers numbers 661, 662, and 663. These hangers are directly
opposite hangers number 664, 665, and 666. The road in the foreground is Avenue C.
Near left: A look down Avenue C taken at the intersection with Fifth Street. The FB-111 and B-52D static displays can be seen on the left. The base water
tower as well as the base heat plant can be seen in the distance.
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Near right: A picture from in back of the large ramp area which now sits vacant for the most part. The new
regional airline terminal can be seen on the extreme northeast side of the ramp area. The new
control tower number 747 can be seen in the distance.
Picture orientation: south looking north.
Far right: The base water tower located on Avenue C. The tower still reads ''K. I. SAWYER AFB
SOMEPLACE SPECIAL''.
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Far left: A photo of fighter hanger number 423. This hanger was once home to F-106A and F-106B Delta Darts from the 87th
Fighter Interceptor Squadron. This is the large hanger which can hold four F-106 aircraft. This hanger is
located south of two smaller fighter hangers. This picture was taken from Avenue H.
Near left: A picture of apartment buildings numbers 810, 811 and 814. There is also another building number 815
located behind number 814. These buildings were used by enlisted personnel. The four buildings are located on
Avenue A near Voodoo Avenue. At the present time these buildings remain vacant.
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A view of all three F-106 hangers numbers 423, 424, and 425. The two hangers to the north of the large
hanger are smaller and can hold two aircraft each.
Picture orientation: south looking north. |
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A picture from behind the ramp area looking at B-52 / KC-135 maintenance hanger number 667 with hanger
number 666 directly to the left and hanger number 668 to the right.
Picture orientation: north looking south. |  |
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The base heat plant, building number 521, located on First Street. The plant piped hot water around the
industrial area. The plant burned coal, oil, and at one point they tried a wood chip experiment which proved
unsuccessful because no one could supply wood chips which were dry enough to burn. The street in the foreground
is Avenue C.
Picture orientation: north looking south. |
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The entrance to building number 726, Wing Command Section. This building is located directly north of building number
725, 410th field and avionics maintenance. This picture was taken from Avenue E.
Picture orientation: east looking west. |  |
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Far left: A view looking down Avenue A taken at the intersection with Voodoo Avenue and near the F-101B
static display. The base chapel can be seen on the left with enlisted personnel housing on the right.
Picture orientation: south looking north.
Near left: A picture of F-106 maintenance hanger number 422. This hanger is located on Avenue F just to the
north of F-106 maintenance hanger number 421. The three F-106 hangers numbers 423, 424, and 425 can be
seen in the background. This photo was taken from Avenue D.
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Near right: A picture of all the B-52 / KC-135 maintenance hangers. Hangers 661, 662 and 663 on the right and 664
through 668 on the left. The south end of the ramp area can be seen in the distance. This picture was taken
near the base gym.
Picture orientation: east looking west. Far right: This billboard is located about three miles from the entrance to K. I. Sawyer. The Historical Society is making an effort to take control of one of the base buildings for the purpose of displaying memorabilia from the base. |
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| Click on Freedom Boulevard
for the next page |
