What started as simply flooring became so much more at Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF). After 16 years, the iconic SGF water, grass and rock carpet is being removed – but the airport carpet will always be remembered, thanks to a special effort.
On March 26, the Springfield Airport donated three original, unused airport carpet squares to the History Museum on the Square’s permanent collection.
History Museum executive director Sean FitzGibbons accepted three carpet squares at a special ceremony at the airport, celebrating the cultural significance of the airport carpet.
While it may seem a bit unusual to place carpet squares in a museum, the airport’s carpet and the community’s overwhelming affection for it tells a much larger story. That story is worthy of historic preservation, says FitzGibbons.
“The History Museum on the Square preserves more than documents and artifacts of national significance; we preserve and share the texture of everyday life,” said FitzGibbons. “For over a decade, the SGF carpet was part of the shared experience of leaving home, returning home, and welcoming visitors to Springfield. When something as ordinary as flooring inspires nostalgia and pride, that’s cultural history in real time. By preserving these carpet squares, we’re documenting not just the airport’s evolution, but the joy, humor and SGF spirit that makes Springfield uniquely Springfield.”
SGF and the History Museum partnered in 2025 to honor the history of aviation in the Ozarks with three history display panels in the terminal lobby, celebrating the almost 100 years of aviation in the region. This latest collaboration is just another way the airport is partnering with local historians to ensure aviation’s history is preserved.
“The History Museum is committed to celebrating Springfield’s culture and community, and so are we,” said Brian Weiler, director of aviation at SGF. “The community has shown its overwhelming love for the carpet since we announced its removal, and this is just another way we’re honoring our passengers, their experiences and our shared, collective history.”
Now halfway completed, the flooring replacement project at SGF is removing 110,000-square-feet of carpet with terrazzo, a durable, hard surface throughout much of the terminal. The airport team led terminal visioning workshops in 2024 to thoughtfully consider the new floor’s design, which pays homage to the previous carpet. The waves in the terminal lobby are reminiscent of water, grass terrazzo lines the car rental counters and new midnight blue carpet near the gates has a rock-like texture.
All these design details matter, and so does the choice to preserve the legacy of beloved but inefficient carpet, says assistant director of aviation Dave Schaumburg, who serves as project manager on the flooring project.
“The carpet is loved, and we want its legacy to be honored in a way that’s as meaningful as the memories it helped create for our passengers,” said Schaumburg. “The carpet is a part of not just the airport’s history, but Springfield’s. We’re grateful it can have a permanent, protected home for generations to come, while today’s passengers and those to come enjoy the improvements from more efficient, durable flooring at the terminal.”
