The Kelly Field Historic District is located in southwestern San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. It is the center portion of the base, east of the runways. The boundaries of the 1600 buildings are Billy Mitchell Road on the north, Wagner on the east, England on the south and S. Frank Luke Drive on the west. The 1700 block of officer quarters are bounded on the north by Chennault Street, the east and south by Chennault Circle, and Van Nostrand Drive on the west. The historic district contains 58 contributing and non-contributing buildings, structures, objects and sites, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

Camp Kelly was established on May 7, 1917, to be a US Army training facility for pilots and support staff during World War I. The first airplanes arrived on April 5, and on April 6 the United States declared war on Germany. The increased training activities necessitated more facilities and the acquisition of additional land. The original field became Kelly Field No. 1. The new facilities became Kelly Field No. 2. Military cut-backs followed the 1918 Armistice with Germany, and the two facilities ceased training pilots but functioned as supply depots. The two fields were re-designated in 1925 as Duncan Field (Kelly No. 1) and Kelly Field (Kelly No. 2). The latter included the Air Service Advanced Flying School where Charles Lindbergh earned his wings, graduating first in his class on March 14, 1925.

In 1926, the Army Air Corps Act authorized a 5-year period of expansion to begin July 1, 1927. As a result, both Kelly No. 1 and No. 2 began being developed as permanent aviator training facilities. During World War II, the facilities were consolidated as San Antonio Air Depot and was the largest maintenance and supply facility in the United States. The property was renamed Kelly Air Force Base after the National Security Act of 1947 established the United States Air Force as a separate branch of the military. Kelly eventually became the largest employer in San Antonio. In 1995, the United States government began realignment of military facilities. Kelly was closed in 2001, partially combined with Lackland Air Force Base. The remainder was taken over by the Greater Kelly Development Authority of the state of Texas and redeveloped as a commercial and military industrial center.

Properties The development that began between the two world wars, and continued through post-World War II, is the area designated as Kelly Field Historic District.

National Register criteria for which the following properties qualify are two-fold: "Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history." "Property embodies the distinct characteristic of a type, period, or method of construction or represents a work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction."

The following data is reproduced from Table 1 of NPS Form 10-900 Registration Form dated April 15, 2002. The dates represent the original construction period and subsequent improvements or other alterations to the property.

Contributing

Number/featureSignificant datesNotes Feature A c.1940 esplanade along Goodrich and Mabry drives; Irregularly shaped parcels; Triangular intersection islands Feature Bc.1940 sidewalksFeature C c.1940 streets Feature D c.1940 landscaping 1607 1943 weather building, storage 1609 1942 Norden bombsight storage 1610 1940, 1955, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1980, 1987 Air Corps operations hangar 1618 1937, 1953, 1973 oil storage, pump station 1625 1935, 1960s, 1983 miniature range, air conditioning; built by the Works Progress Administration 1627 1942, 1950, 1967, 1981 photo lab 1632 1940, 1950s, 1960s Quartermaster maintenance 1635 1940, 1947, 1968 signal office, warehouse, Public Affairs Office 1638 1941 water pump house, electric substation 1643 1942 bath house; built by the Works Progress Administration 1644 1942 water filtration building; built by the Works Progress Administration 1645 1942 swimming pool; built by the Works Progress Administration 1650 1940, 1950s–1980s enlisted men's barracks 1676 1940, 1950s–1980s cadet barracks1680 1940, 1943, 1960s–1980s academic building, Air Depot HQ 1681 1940, 1971 NCO quarters 1682 though 1689 1940, 1973 NCO quarters 1690 through 1694, 1696 1940 NCO quarters 1750, 1752–1753, 1755, 1757–1758 1940, 1973 officer's quarters

Non contributing NumberSignificant datesNotes 1600 1942, 1942, 1967, 1973, 1982 Norden bombsight repair shop 1611 1951 bus stop 1621 1940, 1953, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1989 Air Corps warehouse 1622 1987 bus stop 1623 1942, 1966 Quartermaster vehicle repair 1626 1940, 1950s, 1960s, 1971 Quartermaster warehouse 1628 1942, 1994 theater, classrooms 1636 1954 dental clinic, counseling office, housing 1637 1981 Base Exchange 1651 1959 electric substation 1654 1955 baseball diamond 1655 1986 heating plant 1669 1977 chapel 1670 1942, 1960s, 1994 temporary barracks, Judge Advocate 1671 1942, 1960s, 1994 temporary barracks, Judge Advocate 1674 1967 telephone equipment 16971972 storage shed 16981957 flagpole

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