View source for Wright Brothers National Memorial

{{Short description|Monument marking the location of the first airplane flight}}
{{for|the Wright Memorial in Ohio|Huffman Prairie}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Wright Brothers National Memorial
| photo = Wright Brothers Memorial-27527-1.JPG
| photo_caption = Monument at Wright Brothers National Memorial.
| location = [[Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina]], [[United States|USA]]
| map = North Carolina#USA
| relief = 1
| map_caption = 
| coordinates = {{coord|36.0143|-75.6679|display=inline, title}}
| area_acre = 428
| area_ref = <ref name="area">{{NPS area |year=2011 |accessdate=March 19, 2012}}</ref>
| authorized = {{start date|1927|03|2}}
| visitation_num = 482,191 	
| visitation_year = 2021
| visitation_ref = <ref name="visits">{{NPS visitation |accessdate=November 28, 2023}}</ref>
| governing_body = [[National Park Service]]
| website = [https://www.nps.gov/wrbr/ Wright Brothers National Memorial]
| embedded1 = [[File:Wright Brothers Memorial visitors center.JPG|290px|Visitor center]] {{designation list | embed = yes
  | designation1_offname = Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center 
  | designation1 = NHL
  | designation1_date = January 3, 2001<ref name="nhl">{{cite web |url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=27527013&ResourceType=Building |title=Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center |website=National Historic Landmarks Program |access-date=March 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510093025/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=27527013&ResourceType=Building |archive-date=May 10, 2015}}</ref>
  | designation2 = NRHP
  | designation2_date = October 15, 1966
  | designation2_number = 66000071<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2013a|dateform=mdy|access-date=July 7, 2018|refnum=66000071|name=Wright Brothers National Memorial}}</ref>
  | designation2_free1name = Architects
  | designation2_free1value = Rogers & Poor; National Park Service
  | designation2_free2name = Architecture
  | designation2_free2value = [[Art Deco]]
  | designation3 = NMEM
  | designation3_date = December 4, 1953
  }}
}}
'''Wright Brothers National Memorial''', located in [[Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina]], commemorates [[Wright Flyer|the first successful, sustained, powered flights in a heavier-than-air machine]].  From 1900 to 1903, [[Wright brothers|Wilbur and Orville Wright]] came here from [[Dayton, Ohio]], based on information from the [[National Weather Service|U.S. Weather Bureau]] about the area's steady winds. They also valued the privacy provided by this location, which in the early twentieth century was remote from major population centers.

==Administrative history==
Authorized as '''Kill Devil Hill Monument''' on March 2, 1927, it was transferred from the [[United States Department of War|War Department]] to the [[National Park Service]]  on August 10, 1933.  Congress renamed it and designated it a [[National memorial (United States)|national memorial]] on December 4, 1953.  As with all historic areas administered by the National Park Service, the national memorial was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] on October 15, 1966.  The memorial's [[visitor center]], designed by [[Ehrman Mitchell]] and [[Romaldo Giurgola]], was designated a [[National Historic Landmark]] on January 3, 2001.<ref name="nhl"/>  The memorial is co-managed with two other [[Outer Banks]] parks, [[Fort Raleigh National Historic Site]] and [[Cape Hatteras National Seashore]].
{{wide image|FullSizeRender .jpg|800px|Panoramic View of Park||none}}

==Exhibits and features==
[[File:Shimada2003KillDevilHills-hangar-IMG 8002.jpg|thumb|left|200x200px|Replica of hangar used by Wright Brothers.]]
[[Image:WBNM01.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Kill Devil Hill Monument]]
[[Image:wrightbrothersgenius.jpg|thumbnail|left|200px|The spot on the Wright Brothers Memorial where the 1932 dedication took place.]]

===The field and hangar===
The Wrights made four flights from level ground near the base of the hill on December 17, 1903, in the ''[[Wright Flyer]]'', following three years of gliding experiments from atop this and other nearby sand dunes. It is possible to walk along the actual routes of the four flights, with small monuments marking their starts and finishes. Two wooden sheds, based on historic photographs, recreate the world's first airplane hangar and the brothers' living quarters.

===Visitor Center===
The Visitor Center is home to a museum featuring models and actual tools and machines used by the Wright brothers during their flight experiments including a reproduction of the wind tunnel used to test wing shapes and a portion of the engine used in the first flight. In one wing of the Visitor Center is a life-size replica of the Wright brothers' 1903 ''[[Wright Flyer]]'', the first powered heavier-than-air aircraft in history to achieve controlled flight (the original being displayed at the [[National Air and Space Museum]] in [[Washington D.C.]]).  A full-scale model of the Brothers' 1902 glider is also present, having been constructed under the direction of Orville Wright himself. Adorning the walls of the glider room are portraits and photographs of other flight pioneers throughout history.

The visitor center's Modern design was a departure from the National Park Service's earlier, more traditional buildings, and was built as part of its "[[Mission 66]]" modernization and expansion program.  As the first major building of that effort, it was a high-profile success, bringing critical notice for its Modern design and launching the careers of its designers.  It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1975 for its architecture and its importance to the Park Service's program.<ref name=nhlnom>{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/nhl/find/statelists/nc/WrightBrothers.pdf |title=NHL nomination for Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitors Center |website=National Park Service |access-date=January 18, 2016}}</ref>

===Kill Devil Hill and the Memorial Tower===
A {{convert|60|ft|m|2}} [[granite]] monument, dedicated in 1932, is perched atop {{convert|90|ft|m|adj=mid|-tall}} Kill Devil Hill, commemorating the achievement of the Wright brothers. They conducted many of their glider tests on the massive shifting dune that was later stabilized to form Kill Devil Hill. Inscribed in capital letters along the base of the memorial tower is the phrase "In commemoration of the conquest of the air by the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright conceived by genius achieved by dauntless resolution and unconquerable faith." Atop the tower is a marine [[beacon]], similar to one found in a lighthouse.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.nps.gov/wrbr/parknews/monument-to-open-following-restoration-provided-by-first-flight-foundation.htm/ |title=Monument To Open Following Restoration Provided By First Flight Foundation |publisher=National Park Service |date=June 17, 2008 |access-date=August 28, 2010}}</ref>

The doors of the tower are stainless steel over nickel, with a price of $3,000 in 1928 ({{Inflation|US-GDP|3000|1928|fmt=eq}}{{Inflation/fn|US-GDP}}). The six relief panels represent the conquest of the air:

Left Door (top to bottom): The contraptions of the French locksmith [[Besnier (locksmith)|Besnier]], who thought he could fly if he propelled himself into the air while wearing paddles on his arms and legs; An homage to [[Otto Lilienthal]], a German who died while conducting gliding experiments; A reference to [[Cyrano de Bergerac|a French philosopher]] who thought that since dew rose in the morning, if it could be placed in an expandable bag attached to a box and sail, it would naturally rise when placed in the sun. (It didn't.)

Right Door (top to bottom): [[Icarus]], the Greek mythological figure who tried to fly from Crete by attaching feathers to his arms with wax. He fell when he flew too close to the sun, melting the wax; Bird flight to plane flight, or the rise of a phoenix; Kites used by the Wrights and others in early experiments

====Building the Memorial====
The tower was designed by Rodgers and [[Alfred Easton Poor|Poor]], a [[New York City]] architectural firm; the design was officially selected on February 14, 1930. Prior to the memorial's construction, the [[United States Department of War|War Department]] selected Captain William H. Kindervater of the Quartermaster Corps to prepare the site for construction and to manage the area [[landscaping]]. To secure the sandy foundation, Captain Kindervater selected [[bermuda grass]] to be planted on Kill Devil Hill and the surrounding area. He also ordered a special fertilizer to be spread throughout the area to promote [[grass]] and [[shrubbery]] growth and decided to build a fence to prevent animal [[grazing]]. With a strong foundation in place, the Office of the Quartermaster selected Marine Captain John A. Gilman to preside over the construction project. Construction began in October 1931 and with a budget of $213,000 (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|213000|1931}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}{{Inflation/fn|US-GDP}}), the memorial was completed in November 1932. In the end, 1,200 tons ({{convert|1200|ST|e6kg|abbr=unit|disp=out}}) of granite, more than 2,000 tons ({{convert|2000|ST|e6kg|abbr=unit|disp=out}}) of [[gravel]], more than 800 tons ({{convert|800|ST|kg|abbr=unit|disp=out}}) of [[sand]] and almost 400 tons ({{convert|400|ST|kg|abbr=unit|disp=out}}) of [[cement]] were used to build the structure, along with numerous other materials.  It is constructed of [[granite]] mined at the [[North Carolina Granite Corporation Quarry Complex]].<ref name=nrhpinv>{{Cite web |first1=David W. |last1=Parham |first2=Jim |last2=Sumner |title=North Carolina Granite Corporation Quarry Complex |work=National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory |date=November 1979 |url=https://files.nc.gov/ncdcr/nr/SR0003.pdf |publisher=North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office |access-date=May 1, 2015}}</ref>

====Memorial dedication====
November 14, 1932, was selected as the dedication day.  Over 20,000 people were expected to attend the event, but only around 1,000 showed up on a stormy and windy day. [[Orville Wright]] was the main guest of honor at the ceremony, and aviator [[Ruth Nichols]] was given the privilege of removing the American flag that covered the word "GENIUS" and the plaque on the monument. President [[Herbert Hoover]] was unable to attend the ceremony,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/wrbr/indepth/mem_tower.htm |first1=William R. |last1=Chapman |first2=Jill K. |last2=Hanson |title=The Wright Brothers National Memorial: The Memorial Tower |website=[[National Park Service]] |date=January 1997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060621050622/http://www.nps.gov/wrbr/indepth/mem_tower.htm |archive-date=June 21, 2006 |access-date=November 9, 2017}}</ref> but a letter from the President was read prior to the dedication. The ceremony also marked the rare occasion when one of the persons the memorial was dedicated to (Orville Wright) was still living.

The hill offers great views of the surrounding area.

====Repairs====
In 2008, the memorial, long plagued by seepage problems, was refurbished and better water control measures were installed.  Interior lighting was improved and a steel map of early aviation flights restored.  Visitors occasionally may ascend the tower by reservation.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://hamptonroads.com/2008/06/restored-wright-brothers-memorial-makes-its-debut |title=Restored Wright brothers memorial makes its debut |first=Catherine |last=Kozak |newspaper=[[The Virginian-Pilot]] |date=June 26, 2008 |access-date=November 9, 2017}}</ref>

===Centennial of Flight===
[[Image:US-CentennialOfFlightCommission-Logo.svg|left|border|210px]]
On December 17, 2003, the Centennial of Flight was celebrated at the Park.  The ceremony was hosted by flight enthusiast [[John Travolta]], and included appearances by President [[George W. Bush]], [[Apollo 11]] astronauts [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]], and test pilot [[Chuck Yeager]]. The Centennial Pavilion was built for the celebration and housed exhibits showing the Outer Banks at the turn-of-the-century, the development of the 1903 replica, and NASA provided displays on aviation and flight.<ref name="places to go">{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/wrbr/planyourvisit/placestogo.htm |title=Places to Go: Wright Brothers Monument |website=National Park Service |access-date=29 November 2009}}</ref> Above the stage in the pavilion were Aldrin's words: "From Kitty Hawk to the Moon in Sixty-Six years." The Centennial Pavilion closed in 2014 and is slated to be demolished due to budget constraints.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://outerbanksvoice.com/2013/11/27/centennial-pavilion-will-come-down-under-budget-constraints/ |title=Centennial Pavilion will come down under budget constraints |last=Walker |first=Sam |date=November 27, 2013 |website=The Outer Banks Voice|access-date=July 13, 2014}}</ref>
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:First flight sculpture.JPG|thumb|First Flight interactive sculpture]] -->
[[File:Wright Brothers National Park Sculpture Has Identical Props.jpg|thumb|Note the staggering of the sections of the prop]]
An interactive sculpture was donated by the State of North Carolina and dedicated during the celebration.  The life sized sculpture, created by [[Stephen H. Smith]], is a full-sized replica of the 1903 ''Wright Flyer'' the moment the flight began and includes the Wright Brothers along with members of the [[Kill Devil Hills Life-Saving Station]] who assisted in moving the aircraft, as well as [[John T. Daniels]] who took the now famous photograph of the first flight.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-12-13-wright-bros-sculpture_x.htm|title=Wright brothers take flight in sculpture |date=December 13, 2003 |newspaper=USA Today|access-date=29 November 2009}}</ref>

The sculpture correctly has a criss-crossed chain driving the port propeller but incorrectly has this propeller being identical to, rather than a mirror image of, the starboard propeller.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wright.nasa.gov/airplane/propeller.html |title=Propeller Propulsion |date=March 29, 2010 |website=NASA}}</ref>

==Plane crash==
On September 28, 2024, a single engine plane crashed while trying to land at the First Flight airport in the memorial, killing all five occupants of the aircraft.<ref>{{Cite news |title= Multiple dead after plane crash at Wright Brothers National Memorial's First Flight Airport|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna173153}}</ref>

{{clear left}}

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed" style="font-size:100%; line-height:130%">
File:Wright Brothers National Memorial, 1929.jpg|Kill Devil Hill Monument, as it appeared in 1929.
File:WBNM03.JPG|Photo of the monument from the rear.
File:Wright Brothers Memorial overview.JPG|Overview of the site taken from the memorial atop Kill Devil Hill. 
File:Shimada2003KillDevilHills-LaunchRail-IMG_8009.jpg|Reproduction of the launch rail
File:Shimada2003KillDevilHills-1stMarker-IMG_8015.jpg|First landing spot
File:2001 NC Proof.png|In 2001, the US Mint selected the first flight as the image North Carolina's issue in the state quarter series
File:Shimada2003KillDevilHills-NPSsign-SANY0328.jpg|Sign by the National Park Service
File:Shimada2003KillDevilHills-4LandingMarkers-IMG_8006.jpg|The first powered flight site from the east. The monument in the center was established in 1928.
File:NationalParkService-KillDevilhills-FlightPathDiagram-IMG_7992.jpg|Flight profile from the east
File:Wright Brothers National Memorial landscape.jpg|Big Kill Devil Hill
File:430-L1-S1 640.jpg|Pieces of fabric and wood from the ''[[Wright Flyer]]'' traveled to the Moon in 1969 in the [[Apollo 11]] Lunar Module ''[[Lunar Module Eagle|Eagle]]''
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park]]
* [[List of National Historic Landmarks in North Carolina]]
* [[List of national memorials of the United States]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Dare County, North Carolina]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{official website|http://www.nps.gov/wrbr}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/parkoftheweek/wrbr.htm |title=Wright Brothers National Memorial |website=National Park Service |date=April 18, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101214043924/http://www.nps.gov/parkoftheweek/wrbr.htm |archive-date=December 14, 2010}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/aviation/ |title=Aviation: From Sand Dunes to Sonic Booms |website=National Register of Historic Places |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905204635/http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/aviation/text.htm |archive-date=September 5, 2015 |url-status=dead }}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.rtptv.homestead.com/rtpwrightbrothers.html |title=Video: ''The Wright Brothers Monument'' |website=RTP TV |date=2003}}
* {{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T-QDAAAAMBAJ&q=Popular+Science+1930+plane+%22Popular+Mechanics%22&pg=-PA99 |title=Chaining a Mountain of Sand |first=Hamilton M. |last=Wright |magazine=[[Popular Mechanics]] |date=July 1930 |publisher=Hearst Magazines |pages=99–100 |issn=0032-4558}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.intelfreepress.com/news/pc-modders-latest-design-homage-to-wright-brothers-monument/6549 |title=PC Modders Latest Design Homage to Wright Brothers Monument |website=Intel Free Press |date=August 23, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170111151940/http://www.intelfreepress.com/news/pc-modders-latest-design-homage-to-wright-brothers-monument/6549/ |archive-date=January 11, 2017 |url-status=dead }}
* {{HABS |survey=NC-396 |id=nc0498 |title=Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center, Highway 158, Kill Devil Hills, Dare County, NC|photos=41|color=2 |cap=7}}
* [https://firstflight.org First Flight Society]

{{Wright aircraft}}
{{Protected Areas of North Carolina}}
{{Outer Banks}}
{{National Register of Historic Places in North Carolina}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:1932 sculptures]]
[[Category:Aerospace museums in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Art Deco sculptures and memorials]]
[[Category:Artworks in the collection of the National Park Service]]
[[Category:Air transportation on the National Register of Historic Places]]
[[Category:Aviation history of the United States]]
[[Category:Biographical museums in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Dare County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials on the National Register of Historic Places in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Historic American Buildings Survey in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Mission 66]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Museums in Dare County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:National Historic Landmarks in North Carolina]]
[[Category:National memorials of the United States]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Dare County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Outer Banks]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1927]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Dare County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:National Park Service areas in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Wright brothers]]
[[Category:1927 establishments in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Granite sculptures in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Aviation art]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials to aviators]]