Visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial and Enjoy an Outer Banks Vacation

Have you visited the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kitty Hawk? It’s located on the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina, in Kill Devil Hills, and features replicas of the Wright Flyers, as well as Orville and Wilbur’s hangar and workshop. Let’s explore this memorial to the first powered flight.

Fly into First Flight Airport (FFA) in Kill Devil Hills, NC, and Land at the Memorial

The Wright Brothers National Memorial has its own airport. It’s called First Flight Airport (FFA), and it’s open to the public. Runway 03/21 is 3,000 feet long by 60 feet wide. The elevation is 11.9 feet above sea level. The CTAF is 122.9. The airport is unattended, but pilots can tie their airplanes down on the tarmac. There’s no fuel, oxygen, or maintenance available, but once you land and park, you’re right next to the Wright Brothers Monument, which is located on Big Kill Devil Hill.

Enjoy a Day at the Wright Brothers National Memorial

The Wright Brothers National Memorial is open from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM, seven days a week, and includes all holidays except Christmas. The entrance fee is $10 for individuals. However, children under the age of 15 are free, and individuals with Federal Recreational Lands Passes are free. It’s also a good idea to check the listing of free days. There are several throughout the year.

Learn About the Buildings and Exhibits at the Wright Brothers National Memorial

The Wright Brothers National Memorial is comprised of several buildings and exhibits, including the Visitors Center and Museum, the Wright Brothers Monument, the First Flight Boulder and Flight Line, the Reconstructed Camp Buildings, and a 1903 Commemorative Sculpture.

Visitors Center and Museum

You might be surprised to find out that the Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitors Center and Museum was part of the National Park Service’s Mission 66. Mission 66’s goal was to build modern facilities within the park’s system so that the influx of park visitors could be better served. The Wright Brothers National Memorial was one of the locations chosen to receive a modern visitors center. The building was constructed from concrete, glass, and wood and was completed in 1960. Its modern design earned the building’s designers, Ehrman Mitchell and Romaldo Giurgola, some much-deserved recognition.

In 2001, the visitor center was designated a National Historic Landmark, and in 2016, the building underwent a massive restoration. The goal of the multi-year restoration was to preserve the building’s historic features while upgrading the electric and mechanical systems.

The massive restoration project was completed in 2018, and a grand reopening was held on October 20, 2018. The Visitors Center and Museum houses a replica 1903 Wright Flyer, as well as several interactive exhibits where guests can learn about the Wright Brothers and their first flights.

Wright Brothers Monument

The Wright Brothers Monument is situated at the summit of Big Kill Devil Hill. The granite Art Deco monument, 60 feet tall, commemorates the spot where the Wright Brothers conducted their flight experiments. In fact, they chose the Outer Banks because of the strong and consistent winds. The cornerstone was laid in 1928, which was the 25th anniversary of the first flight. However, work on the monument couldn’t truly begin until the sand dune was stabilized. That task was accomplished with the planting of several types of grasses and plants, including Bermuda, bitter panic, rye, and crotalaria grasses, as well as sumac, live oak, pine, yaupon, and myrtle. Once the sand was rooted into place, construction began in 1929, and its unique, yet inspiring and powerful, design was the result of a contest. Forty-five entries were submitted. Each entry was evaluated, and after careful consideration, Albert Easton Poor’s entry won. The design of the monument commemorates flight by reaching for the sky and the vast possibilities of manned flight.

First Flight Boulder and Flight Line

After visiting the First Flight Memorial, take a walk over to the First Flight Boulder. This boulder with a plaque memorializes the spot where the 1903 Wright Flyer became airborne. The 1903 Wright Flyer was piloted by Orville. It remained airborne for 12 seconds, flew 120 feet, and achieved a maximum altitude of eight feet. It was considered an amazing success, and the Wright Brothers went on to build more airplanes and even a flight school back in their home state of Ohio.

Reconstructed Camp Buildings

The reconstructed camp buildings that Orville and Wilbur used can be viewed at the memorial in the locations where the brothers first built them. Of course, at the time the Wright Brothers built those buildings, there were few buildings on the barrier island. Kitty Hawk was a fishing village. The location also had a life-saving station and a US Weather Bureau Station. However, those structures were four miles apart, and there was nothing between the buildings except sand dunes.

The brothers spent their first season on the Outer Banks in tents. However, the tents didn’t perform as well as they’d hoped, and they certainly didn’t keep the mosquitoes out. The brothers also found themselves constantly short on supplies, as it took three weeks for any supply order to reach them. The conditions were miserable, but their desire to build the first powered flying machine kept them going through that rough first season.

When they returned to Kitty Hawk for their second season in 1901, the brothers immediately built a wood workshop and storage facility. At that time, they were still living in a tent, but the workshop and storage building made things a little better. In 1902, they added 10 feet to their workshop to use as living space, and they built a hangar to house their powered flying machines while they conducted their experiments and tested their theories of flight.

After their 1903 success, they continued to use the location until 1911. At that time, the brothers abandoned the site, and the buildings succumbed to the elements.

The buildings were rebuilt in 1953 to celebrate 50 years of flight, but by 1963, the wooden structures had succumbed to rot and termites and were torn down. However, construction on replacement replicas began almost immediately and was completed in 1965.

Unfortunately, renovations began again in 1976. This time, the hangar was replaced, and the Wright Brothers’ living area was renovated, but the repairs and renovations didn’t last long. By 1984, the hangar was ready for another replacement.

Just nine years later, in 1993, the hangar and living quarters were ready for another rebuild, but this time, repairs and maintenance are now part of the budget. The good news is that these versions are what’s available to be viewed today.

1903 Commemorative Sculpture

The 1903 Commemorative Sculpture honors the first powered flight of the Wright Brothers. The statue depicts the 1903 Wright Flyer and Orville and Wilbur Wright, as well as Adam Etheridge, Willis Dough, and John Daniels, who all worked at the US Life-Saving Service Station. It also honors the attendance of Johnny Moore, a resident of the Outer Banks, and W.C. Brinkley, a lumberjack who was at the station when Orville and Wilbur asked for help for their flight test.

Once you’re finished spending the day at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kitty Hawk, consider spending a few days on the Outer Banks. You could stay at the Colington Creek Inn, the Sanderling Resort, or one of the many vacation rentals. You might try the food at the Kill Devil Grill, Moon Beach Grill, the Rundown Cafe, or one of the many other locally owned or nationally owned eateries in the area. You could also visit Oregon Inlet and take a charter boat, have fun at the Ace Run Disc Golf Course, and enjoy the Roanoke Island Festival Park. Of course, whatever you plan to do on the Outer Banks, it’s sure to leave you with lasting memories of good times.