Meigs Field (opened in 1948) served as an aviation hub in the downtown Chicago area, but Mayor Daley, and a lot of other people who didn't like the noise, wanted it shut down. Really bad... so bad, they pulled a fast one

Understandably, the state of Illinois, the FAA, pilots, businesses, emergency services, air traffic controllers, and more groups were all ticked off about this and kindly reminded Daley that Chicago was obligated to keep the airport open until at least 2001.

Daley eventually backed down and reopened the airport. 

Then, 2001 came around and his plan to destroy the airport was dealt another blow when an organization representing Meigs took the issue to court and got a temporary restraining order.

Later that year, Chicago Mayor Daley and Illinois Governor George Ryan cut a deal that allowed O’Hare to expand so long as Meigs was allowed to live until 2006. Later, this would be amended to 2026.

Mayor Daley, however, was tired of the airfield beating him at every turn, and he took dramatic action.

 At midnight on March 30, 2003, bulldozers escorted by the Chicago Police arrived at Meigs. 

A fire engine pointed a spotlight at the webcam at the Adler Planetarium so nobody would see what was about to go down, and Mayor Daley ordered the destruction of the airport.

 With nothing and no one to stop him, the big ‘X’ marks returned to the runway – but not with paint. The Xs were scribed into the pavement by the bulldozers’ blades, ensuring permanent damage to the runway that would prevent planes from using them.

https://www.theautopian.com/theres-a-giant-plane-in-this-chicago-museum-and-how-it-got-there-was-bonkers/