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.
The Wright Cycle Co.
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 the history of the
United States of America
1990
National Park Service
United States Department of the Interior
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