Anderson’s first municipal airport was a grassy field near where the Civic Center now stands, and Amelia Earhart landed there on November 14, 1931. In the early 1930s, land was purchased from J. Roy Pennell to create the current airport. During World War II, the grass airstrip was paved and served pilots learning tactical bombing techniques. Samuel L. "Dean" Prince, a former dean of the University of South Carolina School of Law, was general chairman of the Anderson Airport Dedication Committee in 1938. Anderson native and aviator Ben F. Johnson, Jr., began flying in 1936 and taught many to fly during more than 50 years in aviation, earning the affectionate nickname "Mr. Anderson Airport." On December 7, 1998, the airport’s name was changed from "Anderson County Airport" to "Anderson Regional Airport" to convey its impact on the Upstate.