In 1919, it was renamed in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt's son, Quentin, who was killed in air combat during World War I. Roosevelt Field was the takeoff point for many historic flights in the early history of aviation, including Charles Lindbergh's 1927 solo transatlantic flight.

On 11 June 1912, while making a flight at College Park, Maryland, as a passenger in an airplane undergoing acceptance tests, the plane crashed to the ground and both the pilot and Lt. Hazelhurst were killed.

Once in civilian hands, the owners sold portions along the southern edge of the field and split the remainder of the property into two separate areas.

In pursuit of the Orteig Prize, René Fonck attempted to take off in the Sikorsky S-35 from Roosevelt Field's long runway on September 21, 1926, but the aircraft was severely overweight and stressed the auxiliary landing gear mounted to help support the load, losing a wheel.

Unable to gain lift speed, the plane cartwheeled off the end of the bluff and burst into flames, killing two of its crew.

After the war, Roosevelt Field reverted to operation as a commercial airport until it was acquired by real estate developers in 1950.

Aline Rhonie Hofheimer (1909–1963), painted a 126-foot fresco representing aviation history in Roosevelt Field, Long Island.

Manhattan-based real estate company Webb and Knapp gained a controlling interest in the airfield in 1950 and later built light factories on the former Unit 2.