A hospitable people...
If you decide to try your machine here...you will find a hospitable people...
William J. Tate, Kitty Hawk Postmaster, in a letter to Wilbur Wright dated August 18, 1900
Wilbur and Orville Wright accepted Tate’s invitation and found that the Outer Banks of North Carolina not only provided hospitable people but also the conditions that they needed to fly – wind, sand, and solitude. While solitude was important to get the work done, the Wrights did not work alone. From 1900 to 1903, families from the local communities and the crews from the local life saving stations provided much-needed assistance to the Wrights.
On the morning of December 17, 1903, the Wrights signaled for help and “John T. Daniels, W.S. Dough, A.D. Etheridge, W.C. Brinkley of Manteo, and Johnny Moore of Nags Head arrived,” wrote Orville. With their help the Flyer was moved to the launch rail. The men then cheered as the Flyer lifted off the ground.
The “First Flight” sculpture captures the Wrights’ historic achievement and the hospitable people who supported them. Local families and descendants of the first flight witnesses continue to welcome visitors to the Memorial and the Outer Banks.
Marker is on Wright Brothers National Monument Road, on the right when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
