the wright cycle company complex

RamblinTex

From air travel to rockets to the Moon it began here in a tiny bicycle shop where Wilbur and Orville sold bicycles. Very interesting museum complex that includes the original building where the Wright Brothers ran a bicycle shop and tinkered with their first flying machines. Lifesize model of the 1902 plane on display in the larger buildng. Super nice park ranger actually moved the model plane's mechanisms to show how it worked. The brothers basically laid down and flew! The main museum also immortalizes the life and works of poet Paul Laurence Dunbar who was also from Dayton! A lovely unit of the National Park Service.

158cynthiag

This is one of the Wright Brothers sites you will like and your children will enjoy. If you visit 7 sites, you can get a cute little bear dressed in an aviator outfit. It's fun and educational for all.

slick151

Interesting and informative! So much info about the Wright Brothers and their accomplishments. If you are a history buff, this is worth your time.

jeffl837

I you are at all a fan of history then you will love this site. I never realized how much research went into development of their achievements

BandB-Lovers_30-yrs

Henry Ford stole the original and moved it to Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI, now a more burnt out city than Dayton.This is a fun and educational stop in the National Historic Site.

ReaderPat

We spent several hours here on a short family vacation in Dayton. Wow! I am always impressed by our federal government's interpretive centers, and this one is wonderful. We learned all about the Wright brothers' lives, the birth of aviation in the Dayton area, the importance of bicycles as a form of transportation, Paul Dunbar (a famous Dayton poet), and other tidbits of Dayton history. The complex consists of the interpretive center (which also houses the Parachute Museum) and the building the Wright brothers used for their bicycle factory. I highly recommend a visit to this complex. You might be as surprised as I was at how much you will learn. The rangers are an excellent resource if you have questions.

Saranger

If your travels pass through Dayton, you must stop here! You'll learn all about the Wright Brothers and their early years, inspiration, hard work, innovation (with both bicycles and airplanes) and their work in the printing industry. Talk a free ranger-led walk around the neighborhood and learn what was happening in Dayton 110+ years ago that made Dayton so unique.

MikeK403

Fascinating story of birth of flight. Good day trip should include Wright Patterson Airbase. Field of flight tests very well marked. Tour is self guided. The bicycle shop is a nice touch. Not an abundance of original relics. Rangers best feature. Extremely knowledgeable.

107adriany

The two buildings - one modern and one restored old building that the Wright brothers acutally worked in are great to visit. Plenty of information.The film was a good portrayal of the their work at - but is the same on as on show at Huffman Prarie. The staff member in the old building was very knowledgable.

Piquarick

We took a little day trip to Dayton and stopped by The Wright Cycle Company Complex. It was a great and educational way to spend a couple of hours. The 1/2 hour film on the Wrights (appropriately narrated by Dayton native Martin Sheen) was well done and informative. The interactive displays were also well thought out and showed the process that the Wrights went through from inquisitive young boys to printers to bicycle manufacturers to mankind changers. The displays also touch on a few other Dayton residents who, through literature and invention, advanced the way we live. By all means, make the trip to the complex...it is certainly worthwhile.

Historiana

An excellent 30 minute video and some strong exhibits make this very worthwhile. The upstairs is set up as it would have looked when the Wright Brothers had one office on the second floor. The bicycle shop next door is also very interesting and the staff was very helpful. And it is free!

Rautx

We also visited this prior to our visit to the USAF museum. It is located right next to the aviation museum and rounds out the Wright Brothers history (bicycle shop, print shop & aviation).

jandc5744

This is a nice little museum, and we visited this prior to our visit to the USAF museum. I liked the natural link from beginning here. It covers the Wright Brothers' businesses, from the cyclery and print shop (the museum is in the building that had been the print shop), to their quest for flight. A lot of history in a small place, with some hands-on exhibits. An added benefit was the inclusion of Paul Laurence Dunbar - the local poet and writer who gained fame around the same time. You could consider this museum to be one of Dayton's history, as these 3 people were probably 3 of the more famous to come from this city. I thought this complimented the Wright exhibit well.There are also several other locations nearby that you can view. The Dunbar house itself is only open on a limited schedule, so you'll want to plan ahead if you want to include it in your tour. We were not visiting on a day it was open.All told, it was an interesting look at 3 geniuses from this city, and the challenges they faced.

KarenV21

Seriously, the Wright Brothers are know for inventing the airplane. BUT prior to that, they started repairing bicycles. At that time, bicycles were only for rich men and were very difficult to ride. But the invention of the "safety" bicycle (similar to what we know today) let the average person, including women, to experience personal freedom & mobility that was unknown. Unlike a horse which had to be fed, housed, and cleanup after, a bicycle was always available. Due to the popularity of "bikes", communities were pressured into providing bike paths leading the way for automobiles. The knowledge the Wright Brothers gained from their work on bicycles on balance, gears, brakes, etc. truly applied to their search for a "flying machine." Very interesting & well worth the stop. AND IT'S FREE!!! Ask for Samuel Bowlin, a park Ranger who is very knowledgeable about the Wright Brothers.

Naomii79

We watched a 30min movie about the Wright Brothers which was interesting. Good to watch and get a good understanding of the brothers & the history of flight. Free enrty, but they do take donations.