Plans for the airport were announced on 13 July 1928, the day that scheduled air service to Rochester began.

Starting on that date, Jefferson Airways operated two Ford Tri-motor flights per day between Rochester and St. Paul using the fair grounds to land until the airport was able to open.

Rochester was one of the first destinations from the Twin Cities in Northwest's history, behind Chicago, Winnipeg, Green Bay, and Fargo.

In 1960 it was decided to replace Lobb Field with a new airport southwest of town because it could not be expanded to allow larger airliners and was too close to the urban area of Rochester.

The former airport has been redeveloped as part of the Rochester urban area called Meadow Park, including Ben Franklin Elementary School.