Once southbound on U.S. Highway 158*, the relaxed pace picks up a bit. Our destination is Kitty Hawk. According to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, “The 1903 Wright Flyer made four flights at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903, the best covering 852 feet in 59 seconds. It was the first heavier-than-air, powered aircraft to make a sustained, controlled flight with a pilot aboard.”
Today the National Park Service at the Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kill Devil Hills commemorates Orville and Wilbur Wright’s significant contributions to aviation. A 60-foot tall marker made of North Carolina granite sits on a 90-foot high sand dune that once was the site of glider flights. Below the memorial are reproductions of the original camp buildings used by the brothers in 1903, a hanger, living quarters and workshop, along with a marker denoting the exact point of departure of this historic flight.
The visitor center features a full-scale reproduction of the 1902 glider and the 1903 flying machine. Programs are held throughout the campus and include discussions of the Wright Brothers, the precise location of the flight and life at Kitty Hawk during the early 1900s.
A great place to take photos is at the life-size, interactive sculpture of the Wright Brothers' first flight that was dedicated as part of the 100th anniversary celebration. The 10,000-pound bronze and stainless steel sculpture created by North Carolina artist Stephen Smith depicts the 1903 Wright Flyer with Orville Wright on board, as it is about to leave the ground, Wilbur Wright running along side, and local resident John Daniels who photographed the event on December 17.
Photos: Stephen Smith sculpture at Wright Brothers National Memorial, visitor center exhibits - ©2006 Flying Compass, Inc. All rights
reserved.
|
