Wright Brothers National Memorial (NC)
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Wright Brothers National Memorial
Entering the memorial...
The rather ugly visitor center...a Mission 66 creation, no doubt...
This is the rudimentary wind tunnel used by the Wright's to test the aerodynamics of their machines...
Inside the visitor center is a nice replica of the Wright Brothers plane...the real one is at the Smithsonian...
Another angle of the Wright Flyer...
Wright Brothers National Memorial
The closed shed is decorated to look like the Wright Brothers are still doing work here...
Wright Brothers National Memorial
The Wright Brothers assembled their plane in wooden sheds like these...
Wright Brothers National Memorial
The First Flight Memorial Stone...
A closer look at the plaque...
Wright Brothers National Memorial
There were four 'first' flights...the rock to the left shows where lift off occurred and the three stones to the right show the distances they flew on their first three tries...
Wright Brothers National Memorial
Here you can see the distances flown on the first four flights...120, 175, 200, and 852 feet...
Wright Brothers National Memorial
My two boys lead the way down the half mile path to the monument...back in 1903 this was all open sand, I assume that the grass was planted to preserve the dunes...
Wright Brothers National Memorial
Looking back at the visitor center and work sheds...
Wright Brothers National Memorial
The Wright Brothers Monument...
The north face of the monument...the inscription reads, "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."
At first I wasn't impressed with the design, but it grew on me...
Wright Brothers National Memorial
Overlooking Kill Devil Hills from the monument...
Wright Brothers National Memorial
One last shot...
Wright Brothers National Memorial
A loop road heads around the north side of the monument where there is a nice sculpture area that captures the day man first flew...
Wright Brothers National Memorial
Being able to walk amongst the sculptures almost allows you to step into the moment of that day...
Wright Brothers National Memorial
And to think its only been a little over a hundred years...how far we have come!
