Dearborn in Wayne County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Wright Cycle Shop

Photographed by Beverly Pfingsten, June 21, 2013

1. Wright Cycle Shop Marker

Inscription. The Wright Cycle Shop is considered the "birthplace of aviation." this is the original building where the Wright Flyer was made.

Besides their bicycle business, Wilbur and Orville Wright did much of the hands-on work on their airplane here.

The Wright brothers earned a steady income from building, selling and repairing bicycles at this Dayton, Ohio shop. They used much of that money to pay for their aviation experiments. Their experience building bicycles helped them unlock the mysteries of how airplanes fly.

Built about 1875 in Dayton, Ohio.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1875.

Location. 42° 18.329′ N, 83° 13.704′ W. Marker is in Dearborn, Michigan, in Wayne County. It can be reached from Main Street - Greenfield Village. Marker is within Greenfield Village and requires an admission fee. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Dearborn MI 48124, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Michigan

and in Greater Detroit.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Sir John Bennett Jewelry Shop (within shouting distance of this marker); Armington & Sims Machine Shop (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Hanks Silk Mill (about 400 feet away); Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park Office and Library

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(about 600 feet away); Millpond (about 600 feet away); Smith Creek Depot (about 700 feet away); Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village (approx. 0.2 miles away); Wright Family Home (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dearborn.

Wright Cycle Shop image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Beverly Pfingsten, June 21, 2013

2. Wright Cycle Shop

Interior of the Wright Cycle Shop image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Beverly Pfingsten, June 21, 2013

3. Interior of the Wright Cycle Shop

Photographed by Beverly Pfingsten, June 21, 2013

4. Interior of the Wright Cycle Shop

The Wright Flyer image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Beverly Pfingsten, June 20, 2013

5. The Wright Flyer

Copy of the original plane in the Henry Ford Museum adjacent to Greenfield Village.

<i>Wright Brothers Cycle Shop and Homestead,Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan</i> image. Click for full size.

circa 1930

6. Wright Brothers Cycle Shop and Homestead,Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan

Homestead on the left, Cycle Shop on the right.

Photographed by John Ridley, August 7, 2025

7. Wright Cycle Shop Marker

Wright Cycle Shop Marker location image. Click for full size.

Photographed by John Ridley, August 7, 2025

8. Wright Cycle Shop Marker location

Credits. This page was last revised on August 12, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 28, 2013, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 877 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on June 28, 2013, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. 6. submitted on November 11, 2014. 7, 8. submitted on August 7, 2025, by John Ridley of Chelsea, Michigan.