After a great visit with my Aunt Marilyn in Maryland, I headed to North Carolina. First to the Outer Banks, then to Raleigh to hang out with my sister for a bit. First stop, the beach (want to make sure Tanya knows I was thinking of her).
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Kill Devil Hill and the Memorial Tower
A 60-foot (18 m) granite monument, dedicated in 1932, is perched atop 90-foot-tall (27 m) Kill Devil Hill, commemorating the achievement of the Wright brothers. They conducted many of their glider tests on the massive shifting dune that was later stabilized to form Kill Devil Hill. Inscribed in capital letters along the base of the memorial tower is the phrase “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.”
Behind the flag is:
1 – a Visitor Center that includes:
* Exhibits on the Wright brothers’ background and the development of their gliders as well as the 1903 Flyer
* The crankcase of the original 1903 Flyer
* A flyable 2003 replica of the 1903 Flyer
* The Wright Brothers Bookstore operated by Eastern National.
* The Paul E. Garber First Flight Shrine – established in 1966 by the First Flight Society, the shrine honors individuals and groups that have achieved significant firsts in the development of aviation.
2 – Living Quarters and Hangar
A two minute stroll from the visitor center, the living quarters and hangar are reconstructed at the original locations. The living quarters is furnished with items similar to those that the Wrights used from 1900 to 1903 and the hangar replicates the building where the Wrights stored their 1903 Flyer.
3 – Flight Line
Located just west of the reconstructed camp buildings, a large granite boulder commemorates the take-off point for the first successful powered, controlled-flights by the Wright brothers. Four smaller stone markers chart the path of the flights.
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This sculpture depicting the 1st Flight donated by the State of NC to honor the memory of Orville & Wilbur Wright & the citizens of NC who welcomed & assisted them. Dedicated upon the Centennial of the historic 1st flight, 12/17/1903
State of NC Michael Easley, Governor 2003
Stephen H Smith sculptor
After more than 4 years of hard work & experimentation, it only took the Wright brothers 12 seconds to change the world. On 12/17/1903, at 10:35 am, Orville Wright made the world’s 1st controlled, powered, heavier-than-air flight
The photograph that documented the Wrights’ success was taken by John T Daniels, a Kill Devil Hills LIfe Saving Station surfman, who had never used a camera before. It was not until the Wright brothers returned to Dayton, Ohio, that they developed the film. The Daniels’ photo, however, only gives one perspective of that historic event from the back of the airplane.
While in Raleigh I got to go by my brother-in-law’s place of work – Icarus Studios. Mike, the sound engineer at Icarus Studios, was busy putting finishing touches on the sound for Fallen Earth, a game that will be released soon.
