Wright Brothers National Memorial
The site of humanity's first powered flight, featuring a granite memorial tower, markers showing flight distances and a reconstructed camp.
On December 17, 1903, the Wright brothers completed the first powered, controlled and sustained human flight on Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk. The memorial park has a granite tower about 18 metres tall, completed in 1932. Ground markers show the takeoff and landing points of the four flights that day. There are also reconstructed barracks and a hangar, and the visitor center displays a replica of the 1903 Flyer. Managed by the National Park Service, admission is about US$10 for visitors aged 16 and up, and the America the Beautiful annual pass is accepted. The dunes where the tower stands are windy, so bring sunscreen.
Opening hours
Daily 09:00–17:00 (check NPS notices)
Nearby sights
- Nags Head Woods Preserve
- Jockey's Ridge State Park
- Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
- The Lost Colony Outdoor Drama
- Elizabethan Gardens
- Roanoke Island Festival Park
- North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island
- Manteo Waterfront & Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse