Search
- Wood and Fabric Sample from the 1903 Wright Flyer - Orville Wright presented these samples of fabric and wood, from the 1903 Wright Flyer, to Henry Ford in 1936. Ford was in the process of acquiring the Wright brothers' home and bicycle shop for Greenfield Village. Pieces of the Wright Flyer became important symbols. The Apollo 11 astronauts carried some during the first manned Moon landing in 1969.
- December 17, 1903
- Collections - Artifact
Wood and Fabric Sample from the 1903 Wright Flyer
Orville Wright presented these samples of fabric and wood, from the 1903 Wright Flyer, to Henry Ford in 1936. Ford was in the process of acquiring the Wright brothers' home and bicycle shop for Greenfield Village. Pieces of the Wright Flyer became important symbols. The Apollo 11 astronauts carried some during the first manned Moon landing in 1969.
- Wright Brothers Testing the 1902 Glider at Kill Devil Hills - The Wright brothers' 1902 glider was their third aircraft tested at Kill Devil Hills in as many years. It was also the first built with aerodynamic calculations based on the Wrights' own wind tunnel tests. The improvements in performance were stunning. The brothers made more than 700 glides in 1902. Many were over 500 feet long, and some exceeded 600 feet.
- October 01, 1902
- Collections - Artifact
Wright Brothers Testing the 1902 Glider at Kill Devil Hills
The Wright brothers' 1902 glider was their third aircraft tested at Kill Devil Hills in as many years. It was also the first built with aerodynamic calculations based on the Wrights' own wind tunnel tests. The improvements in performance were stunning. The brothers made more than 700 glides in 1902. Many were over 500 feet long, and some exceeded 600 feet.
- Wright Brothers Testing the 1902 Glider at Kill Devil Hills - The Wright brothers' 1902 glider was their third aircraft tested at Kill Devil Hills in as many years. It was also the first built with aerodynamic calculations based on the Wrights' own wind tunnel tests. The improvements in performance were stunning. The brothers made more than 700 glides in 1902. Many were over 500 feet long, and some exceeded 600 feet.
- October 02, 1902
- Collections - Artifact
Wright Brothers Testing the 1902 Glider at Kill Devil Hills
The Wright brothers' 1902 glider was their third aircraft tested at Kill Devil Hills in as many years. It was also the first built with aerodynamic calculations based on the Wrights' own wind tunnel tests. The improvements in performance were stunning. The brothers made more than 700 glides in 1902. Many were over 500 feet long, and some exceeded 600 feet.
- Letter from Orville Wright to Fred Black about Photos of the Wind Tunnel in Wright Cycle Shop, January 16, 1939 - Henry Ford acquired the Wright brothers' home and cycle shop in 1936, and he relocated them from Dayton, Ohio, to his Greenfield Village museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Orville Wright consulted on the project to ensure accuracy. In this letter, Wright suggested corrections to text about the brothers' 1901 wind tunnel, and he questioned the placement of a toolbox in the shop.
- January 16, 1939
- Collections - Artifact
Letter from Orville Wright to Fred Black about Photos of the Wind Tunnel in Wright Cycle Shop, January 16, 1939
Henry Ford acquired the Wright brothers' home and cycle shop in 1936, and he relocated them from Dayton, Ohio, to his Greenfield Village museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Orville Wright consulted on the project to ensure accuracy. In this letter, Wright suggested corrections to text about the brothers' 1901 wind tunnel, and he questioned the placement of a toolbox in the shop.
- The Wright Brothers' 1903 Flyer and Camp at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina - Wilbur and Orville Wright established a modest camp among the sand dunes at Kill Devil Hills. They built a wooden shed to house their glider -- and themselves -- in 1901. When they returned with the powered Flyer airplane in 1903, the brothers built a new, larger hangar and converted the old shed into living quarters. Wilbur jokingly called it their "summer house."
- November 24, 1903
- Collections - Artifact
The Wright Brothers' 1903 Flyer and Camp at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina
Wilbur and Orville Wright established a modest camp among the sand dunes at Kill Devil Hills. They built a wooden shed to house their glider -- and themselves -- in 1901. When they returned with the powered Flyer airplane in 1903, the brothers built a new, larger hangar and converted the old shed into living quarters. Wilbur jokingly called it their "summer house."
- Letter from Orville Wright to Fred Black about the 1903 Wright Flyer Engine, November 5, 1937 - Henry Ford acquired the Wright brothers' home and cycle shop in 1936, and he relocated the buildings from Dayton, Ohio, to Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan. Orville Wright consulted on the project to ensure accuracy. In this letter to Ford's associate Fred Black, Wright commented on drawings for a replica of the engine used in the brothers' 1903 Flyer airplane.
- November 05, 1937
- Collections - Artifact
Letter from Orville Wright to Fred Black about the 1903 Wright Flyer Engine, November 5, 1937
Henry Ford acquired the Wright brothers' home and cycle shop in 1936, and he relocated the buildings from Dayton, Ohio, to Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan. Orville Wright consulted on the project to ensure accuracy. In this letter to Ford's associate Fred Black, Wright commented on drawings for a replica of the engine used in the brothers' 1903 Flyer airplane.
- Letter from Orville Wright to Henry Ford and Edsel Ford regarding Invitation to Light's Golden Jubilee, October 1929 - On October 21, 1929, Henry Ford hosted an event, Light's Golden Jubilee, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of Thomas Edison's invention of the incandescent lamp. The event also served as the official dedication of The Edison Institute, Ford's museum complex named in honor of his friend. Among the invited guest was aviation pioneer Orville Wright. He gladly accepted.
- October 21, 1929
- Collections - Artifact
Letter from Orville Wright to Henry Ford and Edsel Ford regarding Invitation to Light's Golden Jubilee, October 1929
On October 21, 1929, Henry Ford hosted an event, Light's Golden Jubilee, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of Thomas Edison's invention of the incandescent lamp. The event also served as the official dedication of The Edison Institute, Ford's museum complex named in honor of his friend. Among the invited guest was aviation pioneer Orville Wright. He gladly accepted.
- Van Cleve Bicycle, Made by the Wright Brothers circa 1896 - Wilbur and Orville Wright established their first bicycle shop in 1892. They started building their own bikes in 1896. Van Cleve bicycles -- named for Wright family ancestors -- used high-grade materials, and they featured special oil-retaining wheel hubs and coaster brakes of the brothers' own design. The Wrights built each bike to order, hand-making parts with basic tools.
- circa 1896
- Collections - Artifact
Van Cleve Bicycle, Made by the Wright Brothers circa 1896
Wilbur and Orville Wright established their first bicycle shop in 1892. They started building their own bikes in 1896. Van Cleve bicycles -- named for Wright family ancestors -- used high-grade materials, and they featured special oil-retaining wheel hubs and coaster brakes of the brothers' own design. The Wrights built each bike to order, hand-making parts with basic tools.
- Christmas Card from Wilbur, Orville, and Katharine Wright, 1911 - With their list of personal and professional contacts growing ever longer, the Wright siblings sent printed Christmas cards during the 1911 holiday season. Unfortunately, the new year would not be a happy one for the Wrights. Exhausted by ongoing legal fights over their aviation patents, Wilbur Wright died from typhoid fever on May 30, 1912.
- 1911
- Collections - Artifact
Christmas Card from Wilbur, Orville, and Katharine Wright, 1911
With their list of personal and professional contacts growing ever longer, the Wright siblings sent printed Christmas cards during the 1911 holiday season. Unfortunately, the new year would not be a happy one for the Wrights. Exhausted by ongoing legal fights over their aviation patents, Wilbur Wright died from typhoid fever on May 30, 1912.
- Wright Home - Though the Wright family moved around, brothers Wilbur and Orville always thought of this house, originally located at 7 Hawthorn Street in Dayton, Ohio, as home. Orville was born here in 1871, and Wilbur died here in 1912. It was also here that the brothers began their serious studies in aviation -- work that led to their successful 1903 Wright Flyer.
- 1870-1913
- Collections - Artifact
Wright Home
Though the Wright family moved around, brothers Wilbur and Orville always thought of this house, originally located at 7 Hawthorn Street in Dayton, Ohio, as home. Orville was born here in 1871, and Wilbur died here in 1912. It was also here that the brothers began their serious studies in aviation -- work that led to their successful 1903 Wright Flyer.