In the Early nineteen-thirties some farsighted citizens of Harrison, Marion and Taylor Counties fashioned the idea that air travel was the transportation of the future an in order to keep pace with the world, the area needed an airport. This idea came on the heels of the "Great Depression" and money was very hard to come by. Therefore, the tri-county courts sponsored an airport development plan and financed the startup construction of the North Central West Virginia Airport (formerly Benedum Airport), now home to the Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Complex.

After considerable planning and promotion, land for the airport was leased in 1935 and developers started a "primitive" airfield. Because it was a tri-county effort, the new airfield was called Tri-County Airport.

The runway was a short, grass strip on leased land. In 1937, the Marion and Taylor County Courts decided to withdraw from the project, leaving Harrison County to go it alone. In 1938, the Harrison County Court purchased more land and began a gradual development program for the airport as it generally looks today. This growth continues. The end of 1999 expanded the runway length to 7000 feet and new land became available for economic growth. Over the next several years the complex will embrace over 150 additional new acres of land for development and location and this acreage will be serviced by taxiways and all other utilities.

Today, the North Central West Virginia Airport is part of the Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Complex, Inc. and is operated by an Airport authority established by an act of the West Virginia Legislature in 1960. The Authority is comprised of both Marion County and Harrison County and it consists of 10 members.