Wright Brothers National Memorial commemorates two ingenious brothers from Dayton, Ohio, who, in 1900, chose the sparsely populated area known as the Outer Banks to conduct a series of experiments that three years later resulted in the world’s first powered, sustained and controlled flight. Orville and Wilbur Wright traveled to the Outer Banks for their flight experiments because of the wind, slopes without trees or shrubs and sandy soil for soft landings. On December 17, 1903, the Wright brothers were successful with four powered flights. The first lasted 12 seconds and carried Orville 120 feet, and the last, longest flight lasted 59 seconds and carried Wilbur 852 feet. The story of these brothers embodies the American ideal of hard work overcoming obstacles.
The memorial includes a visitors center with a bookstore, exhibits on the Wright brothers and a full-scale replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer. On the grounds a six-ton granite boulder marks the take-off spot and the smaller markers of all four flights that took place on December 17. There are replica buildings of the Wright brothers’ living quarters and hangar.
On top of the 90-foot dune known as Big Kill Devil Hill is a 63-foot granite monument. Climb the hill for a striking view of Kill Devil Hills, the ocean and the sound. This site is also a locals' preferred place for walking and running.
Wright Brothers National Memorial is open seven days a week, year round, with the exception of Christmas Day. It's open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The admission fee is $10 per person for ages 16 and older and is good for seven days. Children and teens ages 15 and younger get in free, and seniors ages 62 and older get in free with a Senior Pass. An annual admission pass is $35.
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