Top 10 Astonishing Facts about the Wright Brothers National Memorial

Wright Brothers Monument-Wikimedia

Top 10 Astonishing Facts about the Wright Brothers National Memorial

The Wright Brothers National Memorial is in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. The historic site was established in 1927 to commemorate the first successful airplane flight. Orville and Wilbur Wright relocated to Dayton, Ohio, as the winds in that area were steady, which was crucial in their experiments. The region was also remote, which provided them with the necessary privacy.

These top ten interesting facts will give a deeper insight into the historic site celebrating the pioneers of air travel.

1.   The historic site has a visitors centre

Wright Brothers Visitors Centre-Wikimedia

The visitors centre is one of the main attractions in the historic site is the Wright Brothers Memorial Visitor Center. The visitor centre houses some tools that the brothers used during their flying trials. Some of the items in the centre include parts of the engine,  wings and wind tunnels.

Additionally,  the centre was first opened in 1960, but it was recognized as a national historic landmark in 2001.

2. The original hill had to be stabilized

The original hill where the Wright brothers did flight trials was initially a bare sand dune. The area was filled with sand dunes in that area at that time. Then the government decided to commemorate the brothers by erecting a granite monument. They had to introduce other elements to the soil to prevent it from shifting, and the community members contributed to this project. More dirt and sand were added until it reached the height that is currently 90 feet. The hill was then officially named Kill Devil Hill.

3. The historic site was the first park managed by the federal government to have a permanent public structure

Before the Wrights Memorial’s Visitor Center was built, national parks did not have permanent public structures that visitors could use. Instead, ranger stations and entrances were used. But when the federal government decided to commemorate the Wright Brothers, they realized that the nature, hangers and boulder markers could not fully showcase the contribution that the Wright brothers had to the world. 

Therefore, a building was commissioned so that the history of the historic site could be shared with the visitors and important artefacts stored safely.

4. The monument on the historic site is unique

The monument, which is 60 feet, is made of granite. The monument contains steel doors and six relief panels. The panels hold a significant meaning in that they represent the conquest of air that the pioneers of aeroplanes achieved.

Additionally, the left door on the monument was put in place to honour Otto Lilienthal, who was a German Scientist that died during trials on the gliders. On the other hand, the right door is a representation of Greek mythology.

5. Virtual learning offered in the historic site

A park ranger at Wright Brothers National Memorial-Wikimedia

The national memorial has virtual learning opportunities that help visitors and students learn about the achievements that the Wright brothers made. Visitors can schedule a 30-minute virtual meeting with a ranger so that they can ask questions they may have about the national park. The session is critical in getting information beforehand so that when visitors go to Wright Brothers National Memorial, they have knowledge about it and thus ensure a wholesome experience.

Additionally, history enthusiasts who cannot make it to the park can take a virtual field trip where they watch a 22-minute video showing the buildings, the Wright Brothers Monument, and the first flight boulder.

6. The monument is hollow on the inside

Wright Brothers Monument was built while one of the Wright brothers was alive in 1932. When the monument was first built, it was meant to be made as an extension of the museum and opened to the public. There are stairs going upward in the monument where visitors can get a full view of the park since the memorial is situated on a hill and is also tall, making it the tallest structure in the park. 

Furthermore, the monument is usually closed to the public, but it is opened on important days and special events.

7. The inscription of the monument caused a lot of controversies

Wright Brothers Monument-Wikimedia

At the base of the monument built to commemorate the achievements made by the Wright brothers, an inscription says, ‘In commemoration of the conquest of the air by the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright, conceived by genius achieved by dauntless and unconquerable faith’. 

This inscription was controversial since it did not specify that the brothers invented a heavier than air. The brothers had won many awards, but they did not specify that they were the inventors of heavier than air aircraft until the early 1940s when people started acknowledging them as the true inventors.

8. The flyer displayed at the national park is a replica of the original

The flyer at Wright Brothers National Memorial-Wikimedia

The original flyer that performed the first flight is in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. The original flyer was taken to the museum as per the will of Orville Wright, who stipulated that the flyer was to be taken to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

9. Many famous people have been to the Wright Brothers National Memorial 

The national memorial receives a lot of visitors each year. Each year, a celebration is held to celebrate the Wrights’ first flight on 17th December. This event attracts a large number of people, and among the attendees are famous people. Some of them include President George Bush, Neil Armstrong, Chuck Yeager and John Travolta.

10. The Wright Brothers National Memorial has boosted the town’s economy

The national memorial attracts a lot of tourists throughout the year. This boosts the local economy in that the locals will get their income from tourists. This, in turn, translates to employment opportunities in various places like restaurants, lodgings and the transport sector due to the increase in demand for goods and services brought on by increased traffic in the area.