Wright Brothers National Memorial
Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina
On September 6th, 1900, Wilbur Wright left his home in Dayton Ohio for his first trip to Kitty Hawk North Carolina. At the time, automobile travel was in its infancy but there was a large national system of railroads, and that was how everyone traveled. When these railroads reached the water’s edge, there was often a network of boats and ferries, scheduled and unscheduled, ready to provide connections to islands and other areas that had no train service. This was how the Outer Banks of North Carolina connected with the world in the early 20th century and it is how the Wright Brothers planned to travel to Kitty Hawk. Wilbur departed first, leaving Orville to prepare their family bicycle business for their absence. He first traveled to Norfolk Virginia, where he spent the night and purchased wood spars and other supplies. He left the next morning on a train to Elizabeth City, North Carolina, which was the main hub for travel to the Outer Banks with scheduled mail-boat service to Roanoke Island three days a week. Wilbur missed the Friday mail boat, but he had been told that there were many cargo and fishing boats traveling back and forth to Roanoke Island and most of them would take passengers (for a fee). Kitty Hawk had become an almost mythical place to Wilbur and, anxious to get there and start their experiments, he searched for a boat that could take him directly across to Kitty Hawk. Because of unsettled weather, it took several days, but he eventually found Israel Perry, who was willing to take him on the 40-mile voyage. It was almost a fatal decision.
Captain Perry took Wilbur aboard his skiff for a three-mile journey out to the schooner Curlicue, which was at anchor. The skiff didn’t give Wilbur much confidence; it was dirty, in disrepair and full of rats and vermin. But he was determined to get to Kitty Hawk as soon as possible. They boarded the Curlicue and set sail down the Pasquotank River in the late afternoon of September 11th, into darkening skies. The schooner was a worse version of the skiff. Wilbur didn’t even dare to go down into the vermin infested cabin, choosing instead to stay on deck in the now driving rain. The weather continued to get worse, and they were eventually in full-blown gale conditions. The foresail ripped and broke loose and then the mainsail. Wilbur and Perry’s young deck hand did what they could to keep the sails up but they were powerless against the gale force winds. They reached a sand bar at the end of the river around 11 PM and Perry did about the only thing he could do, maneuvering a little way up the James River and setting anchor. Still not wanting to go below, Wilbur stayed on deck all night in the near hurricane conditions. By dawn, the storm finally subsided, and they spent the morning repairing and reorganizing the sails and other equipment. They finally reached Kitty Hawk by late evening but, not being able to dock in the dark, they once again set anchor for the night. The following morning, September 13th, Wilbur finally reached Kitty Hawk, 48 hours after leaving Elizabeth City and seven days after leaving home. Not wanting to touch any of the supplies on Perry’s wretched ship, Wilbur had had nothing to eat or drink for two days, and he truly felt thankful for escaping with his life. His supplies and parts for the glider arrived a few days later, but he was finally in Kitty Hawk.
When the Wright Brothers first arrived on the Outer Banks, they stayed with the Tate family in Kitty Hawk and they launched their gliders from a large sand dune about a mile from the house. In subsequent years, they moved their camp to Kill Devil Hill, about four miles further south. That hill was the site of their historic flights in 1903 and today it is the site of the Wright Brothers National Memorial.
The “Kill Devil Hills National Monument” was authorized in 1927 and was dedicated in 1932. In 1933 it was transferred from the War Department to the National Park service and in 1953 it was re-named “The Wright Brothers National Memorial”. The Visitor Center was dedicated in 1960 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2001.
There is so much to the story of the Wright Brothers that The Visitor Center will be the focus of this issue and the Monument and other areas of the Park will be covered in the next issue.
The building that houses the museum had deteriorated over the years and, by 2010, badly needed repair. In 2016 it was closed for two years and fully rebuilt. The exterior was painted in the original colors and the re-opening ceremony was held in October 2018.
As an Historic Monument, the exterior could not be changed, and so it remains a rather small museum (and, as such, it nicely fits the type of museum we visit). Even with the small size, the museum does an excellent job of covering the very complex subject of the Wright Brothers and their invention.
As you enter the museum, you see right away that it is well staffed and there is always a park ranger, or volunteer to answer any questions. The museum consists of two halls of displays, a very well stocked gift shop and a glass walled rotunda that contains a full-size replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer as well as the 1900 glider. The Rotunda is bright, attractive, and beckons as you enter, but I recommend visiting the two display halls first and you will have a better understanding when viewing the Flyer.
The tour starts with a look at the Brothers’ family and their upbringing. The Wright Brothers’ father, Milton, was a Bishop of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. When young, the family moved a lot and their father was often away from home. On one of his trips, in 1878, Bishop Wright brought young Orville and Wilbur a gift of a rubber band powered toy helicopter- “The Bat”. The boys played with it until it broke and then they built their own. They often pointed to that toy as the spark that interested them in the quest to fly.
Wilbur and Orville had three other siblings- brothers Reuchlin and Lorin, who were older, and a younger sister, Kathrine, and they each played a part in the success of the Brothers. Neither Wilbur nor Orville graduated from high school. Wilbur was injured in the face by a hockey stick when he was 16 and was house-bound for many months, losing any chance of fulfilling his goal of attending Yale. After his junior year, Orville dropped out to follow his entrepreneurial spirit and started a printing company, designing and building his own printing press. When Wilbur joined him in the venture, they started a local newspaper. In 1892, the whole country was caught up in the new bicycle craze and the Brothers opened a bicycle sales and service shop. By 1896 they were designing and manufacturing their own bikes. This business became successful enough that it was the funding source for their flying research.
Around this time, the Brothers, especially Wilbur, began reading about aerodynamics and following the progress of the many people world-wide who were trying to become the first to fly. As you turn to the other side of the first hall, you can read about various early flying experimenters who influenced the Wrights.
The information presented does a nice job of illustrating the early challenges of inventing a powered flying machine. In 1899, Wilbur decided to reach out to other pioneers to find out where their research had led. Most notably he wrote to the Smithsonian Museum where Samuel Pierpont Langley, with a $50,000 grant, had been working on his own flying machine, and to Octave Chanute.
Octave Chanute was a French born engineer who, among many other accomplishments, built the first bridge across the Mississippi. He worked for the Erie Rail Road and, after his retirement, became interested in flying and compiling the findings of others. In 1894 Chanute published Progress in Flying Machines. Wilbur read this work in early 1900 and started corresponding with Chanute. The older engineer became a life-long mentor to Wilbur, visiting their camp at Kill Devil Hill in 1901. Both men had followed the progress of Otto Lilienthal, the German glider pioneer, who died in a crash in 1896.
The Brothers began their own gliding experiments in Dayton in 1899. They came to the conclusion that there was no consensus in the scientific world about how to achieve manned flight. They also realized that much of the data that had been pubished was incomplete and sometimes wrong. Feeling that they were on the right track, they started their own calculations and had success with their unmanned gliders. It became obvious to them that there were three areas to be conquered: Enough lift from the wings, a powerful enough motor to take them aloft and a means to control their flight. Lilienthal and others had controlled their gliders by simply shifting their body weight. The Brothers knew this would not be enough control for a larger craft and they put their energy into solving the control problem. In the end, there were many others who flew in the early 1900s and there have always been disputes about who was the first to fly. Ultimately, though, the Wright Brothers were first to develop the concept of ‘wing-warping’ which gave them true control of their craft.
As the story goes, Wilbur was working in their bicycle shop one day and was absent-mindedly fiddling with a box of inner tubes. Twisting each end in opposite directions, he noticed the box returned to its original shape and, from this, realized the same could be done with the wings of their glider. This invention, which they called wing-warping, evolved into ailerons, but the Wrights continued to use wing-warping, even on later craft.
Just a note here, about the relationship of the Brothers. It is true that Wilbur, in many areas, was the driving force in the Brother’s interest in flying. Wilbur did most of the early work, especially in developing contacts and picking Kitty Hawk for their experiments. Overall, though, the Brothers always worked together and neither on their own would likely have solved the problem of flight.
Continuing through the display gallery, the various people who visited the Wrights on the Outer Banks, as well as local residents who assisted the Wrights on their visits, are covered in photos and narrative. The progress through the four years leading up to the first flight is well described and we will discuss that progress further in the next issue.
There are several nice displays representing The Brother’s workshop in Dayton which include some original tools and other items. The displays clearly discuss how they drew on their mechanical experience building bikes and how some of those bike parts were used directly in their aircraft.
One of the very well-done displays represents the wind tunnel the Wrights built when they decided to develop their own calculations of lift after finding other experimenter’s numbers inaccurate. The display includes some of the original airfoils they developed.
After the Wright Brother’s first flight, in 1903, they immediately broke camp (the Flyer was damaged by a wind gust after their fourth flight), and went back to Dayton. They did not feel that they were close to being finished with their experiments and hence did not look for recognition at the time. They did send a telegram home announcing their success but told the telegraph operator in Kitty Hawk that is was not for general knowledge. The operator in Norfolk, who forwarded the telegram, however, released it to the Norfolk paper. The account that was published was wildly inaccurate (saying, for instance, that they had soared to 2000’), and was picked up by national papers such as the New York Times and Chicago Tribune. Interestingly, because there had been so many false claims of successful flight in the early 20th Century, little attention was paid to the reports. It wasn’t until 1908 that the Wright Brothers became household names.
Note the telegraph operator got the length of flight wrong (it was 59 seconds) and misspelled Orville’s name. From this short telegram, the press reported this:
Back in Dayton, the Brothers obtained use of a large field, out of town and out of the limelight, where they continued to develop their Flyer. Wilbur felt that to truly have succeeded in their quest, they needed to produce a plane that was fully reliable, could be flown under total control (mainly could take-off, fly a specified course, and safely land back where it started) and could be sold. The next several years were spent in that quest. In 1908, there was a major competition, with a lot of prize money, held in Le Mans, France. The Brothers realized that the time had come to display their progress. They returned to Kitty Hawk in early 1908 with their 1905 Flyer, modified to carry a passenger, and flew some practice flights. The testing ended when the plane was damaged in a crash. Wilbur went back to Dayton, packed up the latest Model A Flyer, and headed to France. At the same time, the Army was ready to purchase a flying machine and so Orville completed another Flyer (essentially the same plane) and went to DC for the Army trials. Both were successful and that brought them international acclaim as the first to fly. They set records for distance and time flown and carried a wide variety of passengers. Orville set a record in DC by flying for over an hour, while Wilbur astonished the crowds in France by showing how maneuverable the Flyer was, flying figure eights and other maneuvers. Unfortunately, Orville crashed with an Army lieutenant as a passenger. Orville was badly injured and Lt. Thomas Selfridge died, becoming the first aviation passenger fatality. The event did not diminish the great success and acclaim the Wrights were experiencing. They were finally recognized world-wide as the first to achieve powered flight.
As we move into the Rotunda, we see a number of displays and the Flyer itself displayed in an attractive and dramatic setting. Visitors to the museum often expect to see the original Wright Flyer on display. The location of that original Flyer is an interesting story, which we will tell in the next issue, but the plane on display here is a replica.
Although not the original plane, this is an exact replica. There were two planes built before the 100th anniversary celebration in 2003. The plane on display here was built to original specifications, but was never intended to fly. The second replica, which is on display in the Henry Ford Museum, was built with the intention of flying it on December 17th, 2003, at the Memorial, during the Centennial Celebration. Unfortunately, bad weather spoiled the plan, but the plane had earlier flown several short test flights.
Around the replica are displayed a number of pieces from the original experiments. These include part of a broken propeller, the crank case from the motor that flew in 1903 and a large section of wing fabric. These are all nicely displayed and explained.
On the walls of the rotunda, there are diagrams and photographs clearly illustrating the advances the Wrights made in the four years, from 1900 to 1903. The Wrights, and their brother, Lorin, were accomplished photographers and all of the original photographs (including the iconic shot of that first flight) bring the museum’s displays to life. The many large photographs are quite extraordinary.
A staff member gives periodic presentations at the Flyer and then moves outside to the area of the first flights. Be sure to ask when the next presentation is, as they are always very interesting and informative.
You can see from the following examples that the evolution of the Wright’s experiments at Kitty Hawk from 1900 to 1903 is clearly illustrated and explained. Note- at the time, Kill Devil Hill was not an incorporated town, just a location. The Wrights always considered that their work was done in Kitty Hawk. Today, however, Kill Devil Hills is a town and is the site of the Wright Brothers Memorial.
The Wright Brothers Memorial is a location for all to visit and the museum has done a great job presenting the story. You can just wander around and enjoy the ambiance, or you can follow the story from start to finish and, in a reasonable amount of time, you can read all the plaques for in depth and interesting information.
To learn about what to do in the local area, museum hours and costs as well as books to read and other interesting odds and ends, keep reading! At the end you will find a photo gallery of the entire museum.
PLANNING YOUR VISIT
The memorial is open 9-5 daily except December 25th. The entrance fee is $10 (age 16 and older) and is good for 7 days. Children are free. You can buy an annual pass for $35 and, as The Memorial is a National Park, the various passes available for National Parks are good here.
FLYING IN
KFFA. First Flight Airport, opened in 1963, is a 3000’ paved strip adjacent to the Memorial. There are no services and parking is limited to 24 hours. There is a small, unattended, flight planning room, restrooms and a picnic area. It is a short walk to the memorial, and a very cool place to land!
KMQI. Dare County Regional is a full-service regional airport that is 6 miles away (a 20-minute drive but it can be much longer on summer weekends). It has 4300’ and 3300’ runways and RNAV, VOR and NDB approaches. The airport itself is historic, being built as a WW-II Coastal Command base. There is even a small, but interesting, museum in the main terminal (see issue 1- “Museums are Where You Find Them”).
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS
As a beach location, The Outer Banks offers everything you would expect. Nearby attractions are far too numerous to list, but a couple I recommend-
Kitty Hawk Kites. On a large sand dune, not far from the Memorial, you can hang glide (including on a Wright Glider replica) or fly kites. Very fitting for the location. https://www.kittyhawk.com/
The Lost Colony Theater. Dare County is named for Virginia Dare, known as the first European born in the New World. Her family was a member of a colony of settlers on Roanoke Island, mentored by Sir Walter Raleigh. It was the first actual settlement in the colonies, established in 1587 (20 years before Jamestown). When a supply ship returned from England in 1590, no sign of the colony was found, and nothing has been found since. Since 1937, there has been an outdoor production of the history and mystery of the Lost Colony. The theater is located on Roanoke Island, close to Dare County Airport, and is very much worth attending.
https://www.thelostcolony.org/
WHERE TO EAT
Like things to do, there are numerous good places to eat nearby. I will mention two of my favorites.
The Wright Brothers were regular visitors to the Kitty Hawk Life Saving Station #6, where they would get weather information and also send telegrams (including the news of their first flight). That station still exists as a part of a larger building that is the Black Pelican Restaurant on Beach Road (3.7 miles from the Memorial). The old station is visible both inside and out and there are many Wright Brothers photos on the walls. Good food too! https://www.blackpelican.com/ Barefoot Bernie’s is a great sports bar (family friendly) with a tropical seafood menu (3.2 miles) https://www.barefootbernies.com/
SUGGESTED READING
Reading about Wright Brothers history is extremely interesting. We tend to think that they were always accepted as the first in powered flight, but there was a lot of controversy at the time, as well as numerous fights over patents. Obviously, there are many books about the Wright Brothers. Two of my favorites are; David McCullough’s The Wright Brothers, and The Bishop’s Boys, by Tom Crouch. If you are interested in Wright Brothers photography, Hidden Images, by local author Larry E. Tise is a unique close-up look at details of the Wright’s photographs. Tise also recently published the excellent 1903, a look at life on the Outer Banks during the time of the Wright Brother’s visits. If you have time, The Island Bookstore, a few miles north of the Memorial, is a great place to find Wright Brothers books as well as books about the Outer Banks. And, of course, there are many books in the museum gift shop.
MUSEUM WEBSITE
https://www.nps.gov/wrbr/index.htm
UP NEXT
Wright Brother’s Memorial, Part 2
MUSEUMS ARE WHERE YOU FIND THEM
This segment is dedicated to finding interesting aviation artifacts that are in public view- but not in an aviation museum. If you see one- send a photo!
There are several related Wright Brothers items worth searching out if you visit The Wright Brothers Memorial (each just ten minutes away).
This sculpture was commissioned in 2003 by Kitty Hawk, NC to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Wright Brother’s first flight. Created by artists Hanna Jubran, Jodi Hollnagel-Jubran, and Glenn Eure, it consists of 14 pylons engraved with the 100 most significant events of the first 100 years of flight. It is a wonderful memorial that, unfortunately, sits out of sight behind the Kitty Hawk visitors center.
When Wilbur landed in Kitty Hawk, after his fateful voyage, he stayed with the W.J.Tate family. Four days later his supplies arrived and he immediately got to work. This marker was erected in 1928, several years before the main Wright Memorial was opened. It sits along the edge of Moore Shore Road deep in the center of Kitty Hawk. If you follow Moore Shore south for about a mile from this marker, you will come to a tall sand dune (now fully developed) which was the site of the Brother’s glider flights in 1900.
PHOTO GALLERY
WRIGHT BROTHERS MEMORIAL VISITOR CENTER
Click any photo to enlarge
Issue 6, Copyright 2019, all rights reserved. All photos by the author