0 . ▁ ▁This ▁money ▁was ▁used ▁to ▁fund ▁the ▁air port ▁project . ▁ ▁The ▁land ▁was ▁purchased ▁primarily ▁from ▁a ▁Mr . ▁Joe ▁L . ▁Wilson , ▁partner ▁in ▁the ▁Hun ting ton ▁Bridge ▁Company , ▁who ▁had ▁used ▁the ▁land ▁for ▁far ml and . ▁ ▁Development ▁of ▁the ▁land ▁began ▁in ▁June , ▁but ▁was ▁slow ed ▁due ▁to ▁high ▁levels ▁of ▁rain . ▁ ▁Event ually ▁several ▁houses ▁and ▁a ▁bar n ▁were ▁removed , ▁though ▁two ▁structures ▁were ▁initially ▁left ▁int act ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁field ▁for ▁use ▁as ▁office ▁and ▁flight ▁crew ▁facilities . ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁Hun ting ton - I ront on - Ch es ape ake ▁Airport ▁opened ▁on ▁August ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 9 2 9 , ▁with ▁a ▁ ▁east - west ▁sod ▁landing ▁strip ▁( current ▁site ▁of ▁run way ▁ 8 / 2 6 ) ▁and ▁a ▁north - s outh ▁strip ▁ ▁in ▁length ▁( partial ly ▁still ▁in ▁use ▁as ▁the ▁air field ' s ▁only ▁tax i way ). ▁ ▁The ▁opening ▁fell ▁on ▁Labor ▁Day ▁week end , ▁and ▁massive ▁celebr ations ▁were ▁planned . ▁ ▁Appro xim ately ▁ 4 5 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁attended ▁the ▁opening ▁events ▁throughout ▁the ▁week end , ▁which ▁included ▁aer ial ▁st un ts ▁and ▁r ides ▁($ 1 0 ▁each ). ▁ ▁Ten ▁plan es , ▁owned ▁by ▁the ▁Emb ry - R iddle ▁Company ▁were ▁station ed ▁at ▁the