Wright Brothers National Memorial

   On December 17, 1903, the Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur, made the first successful controlled flight of an airplane. The first flight was made by Orville and the plane traveled only 120 feet. Wilbur took a second flight 175ft, and Orville took the third flight 200ft. Wilbur made the longest flight of the day on the fourth attempt, going 852ft in nearly a minute of airtime. The accomplishment barely made the news.

   The brothers, originally from Ohio, chose Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk in North Carolina for the climate, wind and the privacy. There were only five witnesses to those first flights. The area is now home to the Wright Brothers National Memorial Park, dedicated in 1927. The memorial tower , made of granite, was dedicated in 1932. Orville Wright was in attendance. A bronze sculpture of the flyer, brothers and witnesses was dedicated on the 100th anniversary of the flights in 2003.