Five Points in Dayton in Montgomery County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Wheels to Wings
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., January 20, 2012
1. Wheels to Wings Marker
In the spring of 1895, Wilbur and Orville Wright moved their printing and bicycle shops under one roof in The Wright Cycle Company building you see in front of you. Here the brothers concentrated on designing and building their own custom make of bicycles. They devised a gas engine to power their tools, mastered welding, built chain drives, brakes, and hubs - all crucial skills used to build the world's first airplanes.
The Wright Cycle Company proved profitable, enabling the brothers, during the quiet winter months, to spend more time doing what they did best - invent. By the time the Wrights moved to a larger shop in 1897, they already had an awakening interest in human flight.
[Photo captions read]
Wilbur working the lathe at The Wright Cycle Company in 1897.
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An original Wright Van Cleve rigged with a replica testing device. The Wrights used bicycles to experiment with motion, steering, and balance.
has been placed on the
National Register of
Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior
Wright Cycle Company
has been designated a
National Historic Landmark
This building possesses national significance
in commemorating
this page online
United States of America
1990
National Park Service
United States Department of the Interior
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Exploration • Man-Made Features • Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the National Historic Landmarks series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1895.
Location. 39° 45.339′ N, 84° 12.703′ W. Marker is in Dayton, Ohio, in Montgomery County. It is in Five Points. It is on Williams Street south of 3rd Street, on the left when traveling south. Marker and building are part of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 22 South Williams Street, Dayton OH 45402, 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: Birthplace of Aviation (here, next to this marker); Tecumseh (a few steps from this marker); 30 South Williams Street (within shouting distance of this marker); West Side (within shouting distance of this marker); Charles F. Kettering (within shouting distance of this marker); Jacob O. Joyce (within shouting distance
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., January 20, 2012
2. Wright Cycle Company NRHP Marker
Also see . . .
1. Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. (Submitted on December 15, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
2. Dayton, Ohio Aviation Trail. (Submitted on December 15, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
3. Wright Brothers Cycle Company at Touring Ohio. (Submitted on December 15, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., January 20, 2012
3. Wright Cycle Company NHL Marker
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., January 20, 2012
4. Wheels to Wings Marker
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., January 20, 2012
5. The Wright Cycle Company Building
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., January 20, 2012
6. Wright Cycle Company Building
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, May 30, 2025
7. The Wright Cycle Company Building
The historic building has been renovated, and a new visitors center has been built next to the building.
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, May 30, 2025
8. The Wright Cycle Company Building
Inside the workshop of the Wright Cycle Company.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 20, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 15, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 673 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 15, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. 7, 8. submitted on July 26, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York.
