Through the EAA's Young Eagles program, annual aviation camps are held at the airport to educate youth.

[3] The airport is named after local pilot John "Jack" Barstow, who lived in Midland and became adept at flying gliders in San Diego, California.

On April 29, 1930, Barstow established an unofficial world record endurance for gliders by soaring a Bowlus sailplane at Point Loma near San Diego for over 15 hours.

[6][7] As an instructor at the Bowlus Glider School, Barstow helped train Charles and Anne Lindbergh in gliding in 1930.

The airport covers an area of 512 acres (207 ha) at an elevation of 635 feet (194 m) above mean sea level.