Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home. . , When you enter the front door, you feel like you are stepping back into 1867 to experience a visit with Milton, Susan, and their three sons, Reuchlin, Lorin, and baby, Wilbur., Susan Wright wanted to settle down and own their own home for the birth of their third child, Wilbur, Birth Home History , . 1845 – Original house was built , . September 17, 1865- Purchased by Milton for $700.00. , . April 21, 1929 – Bought by the state for $3,500.00. Had several owners and renters until that time and had fallen into disrepair. , . 1955 – State thought maintenance was too costly, so the house was razed and replaced with a 50-year monument. , . 1971 – Then Governor Whitcomb agreed with the local people – the Birthplace needed a house. An archeological dig located the original foundation upon which the house would be constructed. , . 1973- Present house built – incorporating the material and elements of design of the original Wright Home, as closely as possible. , . 1988 – Because of low attendance, the state planned to move the home to another location. , . 1995 – The state realized the community was capable of preserving the Birthplace. , . Nov. 3, 1995 – The state deeded the property to the newly formed Wilbur Wright Birthplace Preservation Society., Milton, who later became a bishop of the United Brethren Church in Christ, met Susan Koerner at Hartsville College. They married in 1859 when Milton was 31 and Susan was 28., Wilbur took his first steps here at 10 ½ months, which Milton considered a sign of intelligence. All five Wright children could read and write before entering school., After years of ill health, Susan died of consumption in 1889 at age 58. “Thus went out the light of my life,” Milton noted in his diary., Susan never knew of her sons’ dream. Milton flew once with Orville when he was 81 years of age. Milton died in 1917 at age 88., Homes of the Wrights , . Farm near Rushville, IN – 1859 , . Farm, Fairmont, IN – 1859-1864 , . Farm, Andersonville, IN – 1864-1865 , . Farm, Millville, IN – 1865-1868 where Wilbur was born , . Hartsville, IN – 1869-1869 , . Dayton, OH – 1869-1878 where Orville and Katharine were born on Hawthorn Street , . Cedar Rapids, IA – 1878-1880 , . Farm, Adair, IA – 1880-1882 , . Dublin, IN – 1882 , . Richmond, IN – 1882-1884 where they rented three houses , . Dayton, OH: , Hawthorn Street – 1884-1912 , Hawthorn Hill Mansion – 1913-1947