Kill Devil Hills in Dare County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Big Kill Devil Hill

26 Acres of Shifting Sand

Photographed by Kevin W., July 19, 2008

1. Big Kill Devil Hill Marker

Inscription. Before construction of the memorial could begin, it would be necessary to stabilize the dune from which the Wright Brothers conducted their glider experiments. Twenty-five years of steady winds had moved Big Kill Devil Hill 450 feet southwest of its 1903 location. The U.S. Army Engineers, using exotic and native grasses and a covering of wood mold, succeeded in stabilizing the "shifting" dune. The Hill stands still now - supporting a monument to man's greatest dream.

Erected by U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Wright Brothers National Memorial.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Man-Made Features • Natural Features • Notable Places. A significant historical year for this entry is 1903.

Location. 36° 0.873′ N, 75° 40.226′ W. Marker is in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, in Dare County. It is on Wright Memorial. Marker is in the Wright Brothers National Memorial, on the driving tour that circles the monument. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Kill Devil Hills NC 27948, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain and on the Outer Banks.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Tidewater.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Monument to the Impossible (here, next to this marker); Pitch, Roll and Yaw (here, next to this marker); Wright Brothers National Memorial

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(about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Big Kill Devil Hill (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Big Kill Devil Hill (approx. ¼ mile away); 12 Seconds that Changed the World (approx. ¼ mile away); A hospitable people... (approx. ¼ mile away); The Conquest of the Air (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kill Devil Hills.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Experiments (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been confirmed missing).

Photographed by Kevin W., July 19, 2008

2. Big Kill Devil Hill Marker

Marker is on the left, almost facing the monument.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 21, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 1, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,407 times since then and 43 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 30, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.