This past weekend, Maryland celebrated the 75th anniversary of an institution that helped put our state on the map—Friendship Airport, known today as Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. For most people, it was a moment to reflect on the past. For me, it was personal.
My father, a proud Professional Engineer for over 45 years, was involved in one of the airport’s major renovation efforts in the 1970s and 80s. That’s also when he first met Governor Harry Hughes—a moderate Democrat from a very different era, when Democrats still had a common-sense streak and worked with engineers, not against them. They both understood something simple: good infrastructure creates good jobs. And they helped make it happen.
But before BWI was a bustling international hub, it was Friendship Airport—a humble, functional gateway to the skies with features that today’s kids can barely imagine. Back then, you didn’t have to go through TSA just to wave goodbye to Grandma. The old airport had a public observation deck outside—yes, outside—where families gathered to watch planes take off and land. As a kid, I remember standing up there with my dad, feeling the roar of jet engines shake the railings. You could get a decent hot dog at the snack bar, and if you were lucky, catch a glimpse of a Pan Am or TWA jet bound for Europe.
There was a charm to that airport—less plastic and glass, more character and concrete. It wasn’t about luxury lounges and $9 coffee. It was about connection. Commerce. Growth.
And that growth came. Slowly at first, then all at once. Friendship became BWI. New terminals went up. Rail links were added. And the BWI corridor transformed from quiet farmland into a powerhouse of economic activity. Tech firms, government contractors, logistics companies, hotels, and retail sprang up along the Route 170 and Route 295 spines. Today, this corridor generates billions in revenue and supports over 100,000 jobs directly and indirectly.
This didn’t happen because of government micromanagement. It happened because state leaders made smart investments, then trusted the private sector to do what it does best—build, innovate, and grow. That’s what conservatives have always stood for: create the foundation, then step aside and let the American people take it from there.
BWI has always reflected that spirit. Its upgrades weren’t driven by bloated bureaucracy or endless environmental lawsuits. They were led by engineers, planners, and businesspeople—people like my father—who believed in practical solutions, not political grandstanding.
And yes, we’ve modernized. The airport now has smart check-ins, expanded international gates, and a MARC/Amtrak station that connects Baltimore and Washington better than ever. But deep down, BWI still carries the legacy of Friendship: a place where you can take off to somewhere new—and land back home, where opportunity still means something.
As we look ahead to the next 75 years, let’s remember how we got here. Not through reckless spending or utopian promises, but through engineering, vision, and good old-fashioned American elbow grease.
Here’s to BWI—built by dreamers, shaped by doers, and still soaring strong thanks to the power of free enterprise.
Direct Line News is a Maryland-based free-access publication committed to the Republican reform tradition.
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