City: Kill Devil Hills, NC

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (252) 441-7430

Address: US 158, MP 8

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Description: Set atop a steep, grassy sand hill in the center of Kill Devil Hills, the trapezoidal granite monument to Orville and Wilbur Wright is within easy walking distance of the site of the world’s first powered airplane flight. Below where this lighthouse-style tower now stands, on the blustery afternoon of December 17, 1903, the two bicycle-building brothers from Dayton, Ohio, soared over a distance of more than 852 feet, staying airborne for an unheard-of 59 seconds in their homemade flying machine. The monument was erected to honor Orville and Wilbur Wright in 1932. In the low, domed building on the right side of the main drive off US 158, the National Park Service operates a visitor center, gift shop, and museum. Here you can view interpretive exhibits of humankind’s first flight and see displays on later aviation advancements. Exhibits about the Wright brothers’ struggles to fly include parts of their planes, engines, and research notes. Reproductions of their gliders are displayed in the flight room, and rangers offer free guided historical tours year-round. The visitor center is itself an attraction. Opened in the early 1960s, it is recognized as a significant example of modernist architecture. It’s one of only a handful of examples of modernist architecture built in eastern North Carolina during the 20th century, mainly because the National Park Service was one of a few groups in the region that had the financial resources to hire architects from outside the region. The Philadelphia architectural firm of Ehrman Mitchell and Romaldo Giurgola designed the building to reflect the natural environment of the Outer Banks and symbolically portray flight in static form. The horizontal roof with a shallow concrete dome reflects the surrounding landscape of beach and dunes, while the overhang of the dome represents the soaring possibilities of flight. The National Historic Register–listed structure is considered a key work in the Philadelphia school of expressive modernist architects.The 100th anniversary celebration of the first flight was held in December 2003. An olive-shaped, domed Centennial Pavilion was added for the celebration. The Centennial Pavilion houses a US Air Force exhibit, NASA exhibit, and exhibits from the Cirrus Corporation and the Wright Experience. The Wright Experience details the story of replicating the original Wright Flyer. In a nearby temporary facility, one of the two Wright Flyer replications is stored. The facility is open occasionally for viewing, but not at regularly scheduled times. Harry Combs, deceased Wright brothers historian and aviator, donated more than $1 million to build and replicate the Flyer housed here. Outside the exhibit center four markers set along a sandy runway commemorate the takeoff and landing sites of each of Orville and Wilbur’s December 17 flights. Reconstructed wooden sheds replicating those used at the Wrights’ 1903 camp and hangar also are on the grounds and open to visitors. These sheds are furnished with tools, equipment, and food canisters similar to those the brothers used. A short hike takes you from the visitor center to the monument hill, but if you’d rather drive or ride, parking is available closer to the base of the hill. Paved walkways make access easy. The grass is filled with cacti and sand spurs, so you’re advised to stay on the paths. Also, be aware that the walk up the monument hill is longer and more strenuous than it looks. On a hot summer day, consider visiting the site in the morning or late afternoon, when the sun is not as strong. At the bottom of the south side of the monument hill, a sculpture added for the 100th anniversary celebration of flight is displayed. It re-creates Orville flying the plane, with Wilbur running alongside and local John Daniels taking the historic photo of the event. Besides tours, the exhibit center at the Wright Brothers National Memorial offers a variety of summer programs. Grounds and buildings are open to vehicles from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Labor Day through Memorial Day. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the summer. Thirty-minute flight-room talks are given by rangers every hour on the hour, year-round. Expect the entire tour to take about 1 to 2 hours. Add an additional 30 minutes if you’d like to attend a program. Cost for entry at the guard gate is $4 for adults ages 16 and older, and admission is good for seven days. Persons age 15 and younger get in free, as do seniors with Golden Age Passports and other passports, which are available at the gate.