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| Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kill Devil Hills in NC © Katrena |
North Carolina's Wright Brothers National Memorial, located at 1000 North Croatan Highway in Kill Devil Hills, gives much insight into the journey of two brothers who persevered to make their seemingly impossible dream of powered flight come true. Visitors can also learn about family members and friends who encouraged and helped the brothers as well as people with a significant role in aviation history. The park is easy to find with a large sign at the entrance. Hours at the time we visited were 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with various educational sessions scheduled throughout the day.
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| Educational Signs Offer Information about the Journey Toward the First Flight © Katrena |
As cars enter the park, a ranger will collect entry fees. At the time we visited, adult tickets cost $7 and children under the age of 16 are admitted free. If you have a senior in the group, he/she can purchase a lifetime pass for United States National Parks for $10 that is good for four adults to enter any national park. You'll need ID such as a driver's license in order to purchase the senior pass and prepare to show ID if using the senior pass to enter a national park.
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| East Facing View of Atlantic Ocean from Wright Brothers Memorial © Katrena |
We stayed at a hotel in sight of the memorial - you can see the hotel from the above photo I took from the monument. The memorial is easily visible day or night while majestically sitting at the peak of a huge sand dune. The Wright brothers practiced on gliders atop this hill during early flight efforts, but the first powered flight took place at ground level.
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| Monument Atop Kill Devil Hills at Kitty Hawk NC © Katrena |
The memorial has several walking trails that wind to the top. The walkways are paved, and vehicles can be driven to the base of the hill with parking areas on several sides. The last part of the walkway gets a bit steeper. There are no steps to reach the base of the memorial, but there are four steps if you wish to get close enough to touch the memorial. Summer months can get quite hot in North Carolina - I recommend going early in the day if the weather forecast heralds high temperatures.
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| Beautiful View Atop Wright Brothers Memorial © Katrena |
Visitors can walk all the way around the memorial and see great views of the Atlantic Ocean and surrounding areas of Nags Head and the Outer Banks. A large replica of the Wright brothers' plane is located on the back side of the hill along with several statues. This was a popular photo area when we visited. We opted to head to the museum and some air conditioning since temperatures were nearing 100 degrees when we visited. Visitors may choose to walk between the monument and museum or drive a vehicle between the landmarks.
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| Walkway Connecting Monument & Museum at Wright Brothers Memorial © Katrena |
A paved walkway connects the memorial and the museum, and markings beside the museum show the length of the first four flights on Kill Devil Hills. I am sure that time must have been quite thrilling for those involved. As we walked outside, several planes flew overhead, such a common sight for people today with historical roots on those famous grounds. Yes, people in North Carolina realize the brothers were from Dayton, Ohio, but they were welcomed by folks in North Carolina who encouraged their gutsy endeavors.
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| Self Guided Tour of First Flight Museum © Katrena |
The museum features a self-guided tour of various artifacts, letters, pictures, quotes, small wind tunnel, and more. You can learn more about people who helped and encouraged Orville and Wilbur Wright, such as their mother and sister as well as reproductions of John Daniels' famous photograph that captured the historic moment for others to see for years to come. The museum walls include portraits of many people who have a claim to fame in aviation history.
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| Park Ranger Talks about First Flight © Katrena |
My family had the opportunity to enjoy a very informative educational program as a ranger named Melissa detailed the events leading up to those first flights. The educational room includes a replica of the 1902 glider and 1903 flyer. The majority of the room is surrounded by windows, so we could see the markings for the first three flights and also the memorial while enjoying the program. The museum and program were included with the entry fee.
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| Famous People in Aviation History © Katrena |
I remember visiting the Wright Brothers National Museum years ago and have found it to be informative and interesting with each visit. My dad was a U.S. Navy pilot, so this was one way to encourage my own kids to learn a little more about aviation in a tangible way. I believe the U.N.C. School of the Arts provides educational programs at many elementary schools throughout the state, which is also a great way to learn.
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| Wind Tunnel Replica Similar to One Used by Orville and Wilbur Wright © Katrena |
Additional articles by Katrena
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| Markers Depicting Lengths of First Flights On December 17, 1903 © Katrena |
Visit the official
Wright Brothers National Museum web site for additional information related to the museum. Thanks for visiting my
Travel NC With Kids blog - I hope you find my articles and pictures to be helpful and informative!
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| NC Encouraged Wright Brothers to Come in Response to a Letter © Katrena |
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