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following sites either played an important role in the story of the Wright
brothers, or they offer a major collection of Wright artifacts, or both.
Carillon Park, Dayton, OH -- Part of the Dayton Aviation
Heritage National Historic Park, Carillon Park houses the restored 1905
Wright Flyer, the world's first practical airplane.
College Park Aviation Museum, College Park, MD -- This is where
the Wright Brothers set up the first flying school for military aviators
in 1909. From this location Wilbur Wright carried the first women
passenger to fly from American soil, Mrs. Ralf Van Deman. He also made his
last public flight from College Park on November 2, 1909.
Fort Meyer, VA -- This was the former estate of Robert E. Lee,
and was once used to test both lighter- and heavier-than-air flying
machines provided to the US Army on contract. Orville Wright demonstrated
the Wright Military Flyer here in 1908 and 1909.
Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA -- Orville Wright gave the
Franklin Institute many of his important scientific papers and artifacts,
including the Wright wind tunnel balances. The Franklin Institute has the
world's only complete and original Wright Model B.
Greenfield Village, Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI -- Henry
Ford moved the right brothers home a 7 Hawthorne Street and their bicycle
shop at 1127 West Third Street form Dayton, Ohio to this location in the
1930s. It is maintained among the homes and workshops of other great
American innovators.
Huffman Prairie, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH -- The
Wright brothers perfected their powered aircraft here in 1904 and 1905,
then began a flying school and flight research facility on this spot from
1910 to 1915. On May 25, 1910 Wilbur and Orville flew together at Huffman
Prairie for the first and only time. This is part of the Dayton Aviation
Heritage National Historic Park.
Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, AL -- Orville set up a
flight school here in the winter of 1910 to train the Wright Company first
exhibition pilots, the "Wright Fliers." The school continued to
operate until 1911.
Montgomery County and Dayton City Public Library, Dayton, OH --
The main library in Dayton contains an enormous collection of Wright
papers and memorabilia, including the Wright genealogical history and the
minutes of the Ten Dayton Boys Club, a last-man club to which both Wilbur
and Orville belonged.
Montgomery County Historical Society, Dayton, OH -- The society
has a large collection of Wright papers and memorabilia, including a
massive collection of photos and news clippings that were once in the
archives of the National Cash Register Company. These include images of
and information about Dayton's industrial past, including the Wright
Company and Wright Flying School.
National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, DC -- The Smithsonian is the steward of three Wright
aircraft, including the 1903 Wright Flyer, the first aircraft to make a
controlled, sustained powered flight; the 1909 Wright Military Flyer, the
US Armed Forces first aircraft; and the 1911 Vin Fiz, the first
aircraft to fly across the North American continent -- or any continent.
Paul Laurence Dunbar Library Archives, Wright State University,
Dayton, OH -- The archives house the largest collection of Wright
papers and photos -- larger even than the Library of Congress when you
consider the Dunbar Library has copies of everything the Library of
Congress chose to archive plus a great deal more they left in Dayton. The
Dunbar Library also offers material on Curtiss and other pioneer aviators.
United States Air Force Museum, Dayton, OH -- The USAF Museum
displays one original Wright Model B in the same condition it was in when
it was retired, plus a replica of the 1909 Military Flyer. You can also
find a Bleriot XI and a Curtiss Model D here.
Wilbur Wright Birthplace, Millville, IN -- This small museum
preserve the tiny farmhouse in which Wilbur Wright was born, and maintains
several other buildings that tell the story of the Wright brothers. The
displays include a replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer.
Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kill Devil Hills, NC -- This
is where the Wright brothers flew their gliders, developing their flying
skills and testing a revolutionary new dynamic aircraft control system.
It's also where the Wrights made the first sustained, controlled powered
flights on December 17, 1903. The displays include replicas of a 1903
Wright Flyer and a 1902 Wright Glider.
Wright Cycle Shop, Dayton, OH -- This is the fifth of six
locations in where the Wright brothers sold and manufactured bicycles, and
the only one that is still standing on its original location. This is part
of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park. |