Wright Brothers National Memorial

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Wright Brothers National Memorial
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)

Location:	Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, USA
Nearest city:	Norfolk, Virginia
Coordinates:	36°0′51″N, 75°40′5″W
Area:	428.44 acres (1.73 km²)
Established:	March 2, 1927
Total Visitation:	458,948 (in 2005)
Governing body:	National Park Service

Wright Brothers National Memorial, located in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, commemorates the first successful sustained powered flights in a heavier-than-air machine. Wilbur and Orville Wright came here from Dayton, Ohio because of the steady winds. They also valued the privacy this location, remote in 1903, gave them.

1 Exhibits and features
2 Administrative history
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Exhibits and features

Kill Devil Hill Monument

[edit] The Field and Hangar

Four powered flights were made at the base of the hill by the Wright brothers on December 17, 1903, following three years of gliding experiments from atop this and nearby sand dunes. It is possible to walk along the actual routes of the four flights, with small monuments delineating their starts and finishes. Two wooden sheds, reconstructed from historic photographs, simulate the world's first airplane hangar and the brothers' living quarters.

[edit] Visitor Center

The Visitor Center is home to a museum featuring models and actual tools and machines used by the Wright Brothers on their flight experiements. In one wing of the Visitor Center, there is a life size replica of the Wright Brothers' 1902 glider. Adorning the walls of the glider room are portraits and photographs of flight pioneers over the centuries.

[edit] Kill Devil Hill and the Memorial Tower

A 60-foot (18 m) granite monument dedicated in 1932, is perched atop the adjacent 90-foot (27 m) tall Kill Devil Hill commemorating the achievement of these two aviation pioneers. Many of their glider tests were conducted 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, that was installed to make the monument more "functional" [1].

[edit] Building the Memorial

This spot on the Wright Brothers Memorial is where the 1932 dedication took place.

The tower was designed by Rodgers and Poor, a New York architectural firm; the design was officially selected on February 14, 1930. Prior to the memorial's construction, the 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 foundataion, 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 of 1931 and with a budger of $213,000, the memorial was completed in November of 1932. In the end, 1,200 tons of granite, more than 2,000 tons of gravel, more than 800 tons of sand and almost 400 tons of cement were used to build the structure, along with numerous other materials.

[edit] Memorial Dedication

November 14, 1932 was selected as the dedication day; over 20,000 people were expected to attend. Yet, only about 1,000 actually came to the event, which was held 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 regretfully unable to attend the ceremony [2]; however, a letter from the President was read prior to the dedication.

[edit] Centennial of Flight

There are ranger-conducted programs. Recently, a new expanded museum opened with artifacts, videos, and other exhibits. 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, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Chuck Yeager.