Near Dayton in Greene County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The First Airport
Huffman Prairie Flying Field
| | Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park | |
Photographed by Craig Baker, April 18, 2021
1. The First Airport Marker
In 1904, the Wrights knew they had to coax more from their brainchild than their 59-second straight-line hop at Kitty Hawk. For aviation to take its next steps, they needed a convenient, private place - a flying field - closer to home.
It took eighteen months of bumps, crashes and creative problem solving here to learn how to safely launch, land, turn, and bank. By the end of 1905, the Wrights had a flying machine that was no longer a balky mechanical toddler, but a graceful, fully functional creature of the air.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Air & Space. A significant historical year for this entry is 1904.
Location. 39° 48.42′ N, 84° 3.771′ W. Marker is near Dayton, Ohio, in Greene County. It is on Marl Road 1½ miles north of Springfield Street (Ohio Route 444), on the right when traveling north. Visit the Interpretive Center first to get driving directions. Touch for map.
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Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Miami Valley. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Huffman Prairie Flying Field (here, next to this marker); Corner Boundary No. 6 (here, next to this marker); Trials in an Old Swamp (within shouting distance of this marker); Flying Field to Air Force Base (within shouting distance of this marker); A School for Flyers (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Huffman Prairie Flying Field (within shouting distance of this marker); Later Test Flights (within shouting distance of this marker); Those Daring Young Men (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of
Photographed by Don Morfe, July 19, 2013
2. The First Airport Marker
Photographed by Don Morfe, July 19, 2013
3. The First Airport Marker
Photographed by Don Morfe, July 19, 2013
4. The First Airport Marker
Huffman Prairie Flying Field has been designated a National Historic Landmark. This site possesses National Significance in commemorating the history of the United States of America 1990 National Park Service United States Department of the Interior.
Photographed by Don Morfe, July 19, 2013
5. The First Airport Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on June 27, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 13, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 962 times since then and 53 times this year. Last updated on April 22, 2021, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1. submitted on April 22, 2021, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 13, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
