Near Dayton in Greene County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
They Had Done It!
Huffman Prairie Flying Field
— Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park —
My mid-October, the Wrights had perfected their machine. They were ready to stop test flying, secure a patent, and start marketing their invention.
Total Time in the Air
1904- -49 minutes--106 flights
1905- -262 minutes--50 flights
....Nine years of trial and error, discouragement and hope, risk to life and limb, and brilliant engineering effort had culminated in the air over this Ohio cow pasture.
Tom Crouch, Wright biographer
(Inscription over the photo in the upper right side of the marker)
A Record Set
Wilbur amazed a small crowd of guests and passerby here with a 40-minute, 24 mile flight. They watched him orbit this flying field 29 times. He only landed when he ran out of gas.
October 5, 1905
(Inscription over the photo in the lower right side of the marker)
The wooden shed (in front of you) is a replica, built in 1990 on the site of the Wright’s original 1905 hangar.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Air & Space. A significant historical month for this entry is October 1904.
Location. 39° 48.25′ N, 84° 3.65′ W. Marker is near Dayton, Ohio, in Greene County. Marker is on Pylon Road, 0.3 miles south of Marl Road, on the left when traveling south. Access is from Highway 444 at Communications Blvd. Visit the Interpretive Center first for driving directions. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Dayton OH 45433, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A Starting Device (here, next to this marker); Follow the Flight Path (within shouting distance of this marker); Miss that Tree! (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Trials in an Old Swamp (approx. 0.2 miles away); Flying Field to Air Force Base (approx. 0.2 miles away); The First Airport (approx. 0.2 miles away); Huffman Prairie Flying Field (approx. ¼ mile away); a different marker also named Huffman Prairie Flying Field (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dayton.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 4, 2022. It was originally submitted on August 13, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 417 times since then and 8 times this year. Last updated on April 28, 2021, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 14, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.