What Is Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park?
This multi-site historical park preserves two original buildings from the Wright Brothers’ lives here in Dayton!
What Makes It Historical?
After they completed their historic first flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the Wright Brothers got tired of the remoteness and the mosquitoes, so they went home to Dayton! The winds weren’t as strong here, and there were cows in the way, but they could work in more privacy after becoming world famous! Their first glider had flown for 57 seconds, and they wouldn’t rest until their next one could fly much, much longer!
They funded much of their work through a bicycle shop, in which they installed a wind tunnel to test their models! It was their bicycle mechanic, Charlie Taylor, who created their first flyer engine! They secured a testing ground on the cow pasture of Torrence Huffman, and with the help of a catapult to counter the weak winds, they made 105 test flights in 1904. By 1905, they had broken multiple flight records: the longest flight at 24 miles, the first turn, the first circle, and the first figure-eight! Five years later, they set up a flight school here under the name The Wright Company, and remained here until 1916! They had created the world’s first airport!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Volunteer at Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park!
- Donate to Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park!
- Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!
How Do I Get There?
Visitor Center:
- 16 S Williams St
Dayton, OH 45402
Huffman Prairie Flying Field:
- GPS Coordinates: 39.805350, -84.068217
When Should I Visit the Park?
Between March and October, the visitor center is open daily from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM, but between November and February, it’s closed on Mondays and Tuesdays!
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