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Wright Brothers First Flight 115 Years Ago Today!
Wright Brothers First Flight 115 Years Ago Today -- With courage and perseverance, these self-taught engineers relied on teamwork and application of the scientific process. What they achieved changed our world forever.
The 60' ft. granite monument leads the way to the extensive National Park which features well-manicured grounds with markers, both big and small, indicating the successful launching and landing points, a visitors' center, and a cluster of museums and exhibits which celebrates the last century of flight and beyond. For a tutorial on all things aviation, from the first successful glide across the Kill Devil Hills sand dunes to the new breakthroughs from NASA, a trip to the Wright Brothers National Memorial is a must. Part historical monument, part museum, and part park, an exploration of the Wright Brothers National Memorial is an afternoon trip that everyone in the family will find simply awe-inspiring.
History of the Wright Brothers National Memorial
Naturally, the Wright Brothers National Memorial would never exist without the astounding flying feats of the Wright Brothers, two brothers from Ohio that ran a bicycle shop while they dreamed of mastering the still just-out-of-reach achievement of flight. For years, the Wright Brothers designed intricate plans and blueprints out of the their small bicycle shop before heading to the town of Kitty Hawk in 1900. This coastal town, they determined, had the ideal conditions for testing their gliders, with towering sand dunes and consistent winds to assist with the initial launching.
Visiting the Wright Brothers National Memorial
The Wright Brothers National Memorial is hard to miss for new Outer Banks vacationers, and is located in the heart of Kill Devil Hills with the official entrance located at mile marker 7.5. The National Memorial, visitors' center and Centennial Pavilion are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, 7 days a week, year-round, and every day except for Christmas. A small fee is required to access the park, but is typically around the $4.00 range for adults 16 years and older. Annual passes are also available for unlimited entry into the park, and educational groups may have the option to obtain free access with advance notice and approval.
To enter, visitors will go through the National Park's main gate and will pay before parking and having open access to the expansive grounds. National Park Service (NPS) rangers man the entrance booth and are happy to answer any questions a new visitor may have. Additional park interpreters are stationed at the visitors' center and are happy to provide further details on the Wrights' famous first flight, as well as the functions of the Wright Brothers National Memorial National Park itself.
Before visiting, be sure and check out the National Park Service's event calendar for the Wright Brothers National Memorial Park. While events are featured throughout the year, especially during mid-December when the annual celebration of flight commences, the summertime seasons offers almost daily free programs offered and orchestrated by NPS rangers. These events can include daily talks outlining the facts and incredible feats of the Wright Brothers experiments, sessions exploring the development (and rivalry) of the North Carolina monument, and even in-depth explanations of the original glider itself. Special programs are also available for kids, including a "Wright Kite" kite building demonstration followed with a little kite-flying and wind testing within the park's grounds.
The Wright Brothers National Memorial is one of the most historically important destinations for aviation enthusiasts, but virtually every Outer Banks vacationer will enjoy a visit to the site for the fantastic architecture of the granite memorial, the informative and fascinating visitors' center, and the new Centennial of Flight complex that outlines aviation's future. Ideal for budding and recreational historians, pilots, and scientists, the Wright Brothers National Memorial is an educational attraction that's also big on purely fascinating fun.
Be amazed at how a small wooden glider served as the first building block to modern airplanes, or simply enjoy a breezy stroll to the base of the monument for some incredible photo ops. The Wright Brothers National Memorial has been fascinating visitors for well over a century, and any Kill Devil Hills vacationer who can spot the granite structure in the distance, softly glowing at night thanks to well-placed floodlights, is all but required to make a visit and see the monument up close and in person. The Outer Banks have always been steeped in history, and the Wright Brothers National Memorial is just one of the islands' many testaments to the incredible cultural and historical legacy of this fantastic beach vacation destination.