Near Dayton in Greene County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Follow the Flight Path

Huffman Prairie Flying Field

— Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park —

Follow the Flight Path Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Morfe, July 19, 2013

1. Follow the Flight Path Marker

Inscription. The trail you see ahead curving gently to the right retraces the way Wilbur and Orville Wright flew here in 1904-1905. Look for seven tall flag poles that mark the corners of the pasture. The brothers tried their best to fly only inside this field, because they respected property boundaries. It was hard enough to drag their 700-pound flying machine back to the launch rails without having to negotiate fences. Remember, their flyers had no wheels.

On the first of three trials we found that we had started a circle on too large a radius to keep within the boundaries of the small field in which we were operating. Accordingly, a landing was made each time, without accident, merely to avoid passing beyond the boundaries of the field.
Wilbur Wright

Walking the Flight Path…
takes 30 minutes to get back to the main parking areas near Simms Station.

The path is regularly mowed, but not hard-surfaced. Wheelchair users should budget more time.

Erected by National Park Service.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Air & Space.

Location. 39° 48.276′ N, 84° 3.676′ W. Marker is near Dayton, Ohio, in Greene County. It is on Pylon Road 0.3 miles

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south of Marl Road, on the right when traveling south. Access is from Highway 444 at Communications Blvd. Visit the Interpretive Center first to get driving directions. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Dayton OH 45433, United States of America. Touch for directions.

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: They Had Done It! (within shouting distance of this marker); A Starting Device (within shouting distance of this marker); 'Higher, Orville, Higher!' (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Huffman Prairie State Natural Landmark (about 300 feet away); Corner Boundary No. 1 (about 300 feet away); Miss that Tree! (about 400 feet away); A Tough Start after Kitty Hawk (about 500 feet away); Corner Boundary No. 7 (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dayton.

Photographed by Don Morfe, July 19, 2013

2. Follow the Flight Path 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 666 times since then and 18 times this year. Last updated on April 28, 2021, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 13, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.