Indiana’s Wilbur Wright Birthplace Museum

August 17, 2025 / Roadtirementvintage / 2 Comments

The address is Hagerstown, Indiana, but the Wilbur Wright Birthplace Museum is out in the middle of Hoosier farmland. This fascinating museum has two different focuses: Wilbur’s birthplace and living conditions of the mid 1860’s and the success of Wilbur and Orville’s history making powered human flight at Kitty Hawk North Carolina in 1903.

Yes, that is the Wright Flyer in the background

The flight museum and other Wright Brothers artifacts are housed in a separate building next to the family home and the visitor center. The exciting focus of this is the full life size and historically accurate reproduction of the original “Wright Flyer”.

Floor level view of the Wright Flyer

Wright Flyer Specification Drawing

This construction of the Wright Flyer was completed after referencing the original specifications drawings from the Smithsonian. The plane and other displays are in a lower level providing a striking view as you stand on the landing at the top of a short flight of stairs.

Kitty Hawk Camp work shop and living quarters (note the cots pulled up in the rafters)

Kitchen in the shop/living quarters

In addition to the plane itself, this lower level display also includes a representation of the Brother’s Kitty Hawk Camp. Here is their work and living quarters while at the site of the flight tests. The building had work shop areas, kitchen facilities and sleeping cots that are pulled up during the day.

Also included is a display of 1900s storefronts, including the Brothers bicycle shop. We have been to the Kitty Hawk Park and Memorial, where there is a metal reproduction of the Flyer, Orville and Wilbur and other support folks. Seeing the repro plane at this museum was a thrill, as it is of the original materials.

It is remarkable that a mere 66 years after Wilbur and Orville’s first flight man was walking on the moon. Take a trip to the Wilbur Wright Birthplace Museum. You’ll be amazed at the quality and quantity of the displays.

Wright Brothers first flight in North Carolina

May 12, 2023 / Roadtirementvintage / 17 Comments

The National Park Service operates the National Memorial to the Wright Brothers located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, specifically the Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills area.

Hands-on life size sculpture of the plane

Almost everyone has heard of the first manned flight in a powered airplane. Any trip to the area of the Outer Banks should include a visit to this dramatic Memorial. We arrived late in the day, and thus did not have time to visit the Visitors Center. We did, however, enjoy the massive monument and the life sized reproduction of the original Wright flier and associated sculpture field.

Monument on the hill where the first flight occurred

The massive monument is on top of the large sand dune hill where the flights occurred. In the 1920’s the dune was seeded with grass to stabilize the hill in preparation for the construction of the monument.

Wilbur to the right: original photo

Statue of Wilbur running alongside the plane piloted by Orville

Originally from Ohio, the Wright brothers found that the sand dunes of the outer banks would be a perfect place for them to design the gliders and finally the engine powered airplane. Sand dunes provided a relatively safe place to test fly: sand is soft, protects the pilots and lessens potential damage to the aircraft.

The monument

Personnel from the local US Lifesaving Service offered help and on December 17, 1903 several were at the site of the flight. At the memorial there is a marvelous sculpture field including a life sized reproduction of the plane as well as bronze sculptures of the men who were there at the time. This is a most impressive view that immediately takes you back to that famous December day in 1903.

Plan on visiting this marvelous piece of U.S. history. Here is the NPS website with details and some great information. Note: our National Parks Service Senior Pass saved us the entrance fees to the site. (Seniors 62 and older can get this pass here: NPS lifetime Senior Pass website)

North Carolina is home to Wright Brothers first flight

July 21, 2016July 2, 2022 / Roadtirementvintage / Leave a comment

Life sized plane and sculpture field

The National Park Service operates the National Memorial to the Wright Brothers located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, specifically the Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills area.

All have heard of the first manned flight in a powered airplane. Any trip to the area of the Outer Banks should include a visit to this dramatic Memorial. We arrived late in the day, and thus did not have time to visit the Visitors Center. We did, however, enjoy the massive monument and the artistic reproduction of the original Wright flier and associated sculpture field.

Monument on the hill where the first flight occurred

Statue of Wilbur running alongside the plane piloted by Orville. Note the portrayal of the photographer left background

Personnel from the local US Lifesaving Service offered help and on December 17, 1903 several were at the site of the flight. This moment was captured in the iconic photograph of the moment the plane took flight. At the memorial there is a marvelous sculpture field including a life sized reproduction of the plane as well as bronze sculptures of the men who were there at the time. This is a most impressive view that immediately takes you back to that famous December day in 1903.

The monument