Wright Family Writing Desk, 1890-1900

This ladies' writing desk is the starting point for a transportation revolution. On May 30, 1899, a Dayton, Ohio, bicycle shop owner named Wilbur Wright sat down at his sister's desk and wrote a letter to the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. Wilbur's letter sparked a series of events that led to the world's first powered airplane flight in 1903.