Dayton, Ohio

Dayton, Ohio, was the home of the Wright family. When Orville and Wilbur began their ten-year pursuit in the development of a flying machine, they were 32 and 28 respectively. They lived at home with their father, Bishop Milton Wright, and younger sister, Katharine. Two older brothers had left home and had their own families.

The Wright brothers began their quest for man to fly in Dayton by studying books on aviation and aeronautics. Many of the books came from the voluminous family library in the Wright home. They also studied the flight of birds and built their first gliders in Dayton.

After the Wright brothers earned worldwide celebrity for developing the first airplane, Dayton welcomed them home with a huge celebration that included a hero’s parade.

West Side News

In 1889 while still a high school student, Orville opened his own print shop in the shed behind...