DAYTON, Ohio — Air show performer Patty Wagstaff has added her voice to those urging the restoration of America’s first airplane factory — the Wright Company factory in Dayton.
“I’m completely honored to be standing here,” Wagstaff says in a new video filmed inside the historic but unrestored factory. “I want to know what it was really like, and I think the only way you can do that is to make this place as real as it was, and bring it back to its original space.”
The National Aviation Heritage Alliance (NAHA) released the video as part of its continuing campaign to save the historic buildings for use as a national park. Wagstaff toured the factory in June when she was in town to fly in the annual Vectren Dayton Air Show Presented by Kroger.
Wagstaff’s video message follows one by David McCullough, author of the best-selling book The Wright Brothers, in which he declares the factory “important to the world” after touring it in April.
Wilbur and Orville Wright formed the Wright Company in 1909 and built the first of two factory buildings near their West Dayton bicycle shop in 1910. They added a matching building in 1911. The factory was the first in America built for the purpose of manufacturing airplanes.
Besides the Wright brothers themselves, famous visitors to the factory have included such pioneer aviators as Henry H. “Hap” Arnold, later to become the first general of the Air Force, and Calbraith Perry “Cal” Rodgers, who made the first U.S. coast-to-coast flight in a Wright airplane dubbed the “Vin Fiz.”
And now, Wagstaff.
First woman to win the U.S. National Aerobatic Championship in 1991, Wagstaff has garnered many aerobatic, air show and other awards in her flying career. The airplane she flew to win her first national is in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. In 2004, she joined the company of Arnold, Rodgers and the Wright brothers as an enshrinee of the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
Restored to its original state, the Wright factory could spark new interest in aviation, Wagstaff says in the video.
“Of course these buildings are worth saving. I really feel that aviation is under appreciated, and anything that we can do to highlight it, and (show) how important it is, and get people to understand it, and think about it, and appreciate it, is really, really important.”
NAHA is negotiating to buy the factory, several attached buildings and surrounding acreage from the current property owner. The property is the site of the former Delphi Home Avenue Plant, a 54-acre auto manufacturing complex that began with the original two Wright buildings. The site has been razed except for the row of buildings that includes the factory.
NAHA has raised approximately $2 million toward a goal of $4 million in public funds and private donations to acquire the site and begin restoration. Its plan is for the factory to become the Wright Factory Unit of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park and to guide the redevelopment of the surrounding property in ways that complement the factory. Dayton Metro Library has committed to buy approximately seven acres of the site for its new West Branch library.
I worked at the Inland plant back in the 60s as a project engineer. I now live in Denver but am so relieved to see the hangars saved and restored. I used to park my BSA motorcycle in one of those units on the fair weather days that I rode to work. I hope the funds continue to pour in for the restoration, since Dayton is such a historic town of aviation history.
What a fantastic plan -and essential to complete, as we Americans have already bulldozed too many historical sites. Kids in school these days aren’t even taught who the Wright Brothers were. Thank you, Patty for your part in getting the word out and thanks for so many great aerobatic performances I was lucky enough to see over the past decades!
Yes, but you left out how to donate !
So is gone the Studebaker plant in South Bend, Indiana. I am 66 years old and I almost cried when I heard it was being demolished. Its a shame when nobody cares any more
What a great idea… restore part of factory into a living Wright Bros museum exhibit! Even better, add a 3000ft faux grass airstrip to the property allowing general aviation activity and convert the other half of the building it into a historic walkable aviation park, aviation tech innovation center, and aviation STEM center for adolescents in the region.
Hi Patty,
I’m ashamed of the conditions of the place where aviation really took shape.
Ohio gave me the possibility to reach the lifelong dream to become a pilot and I’d be honored to give back to this wonderful state helping you somehow to bring back the building to the beauty and educational purposes it deserves.
Please connect on LinkedIn or email me at [email protected].
Thank you
I totally agree with the last comment from Paul.
Anything this historic needs to be preserved.
Im Canadian and have flown to Dayton several times to visit the museum and as many others have greatly appreciated the efforts put in place to preserve the aircraft from years gone by as should any buildings which have this significance.
Reminds me of our local government who decided to tear down our historic and beautiful stone city hall. Only to realize later that they made a huge mistake by demolishing everthing but the clock tower.
Time to really think about any actions against this historic site.
I
The same could be said about the old Piper Aircraft facilities in Lock Haven PA. Although there is an apparent movement out there to save this monstrosity of a building, I have a feeling there would be a real up-hill battle to raise enough money to do so. See http://www.savecubhaven.org/ One can only hope that it becomes a reality!
What is hard to believe is that this site was not made into a national monument decades ago given its historical importance. All these years and it was totally ignored, sold off no telling how many times and used for everything but that which is related to aviation. Now after more a hundred years and after all of its guts related to what Wilbur and Orville cobbled together there are gone its decided to preserve it. The city of Dayton and Ohioans really goofed on this one. Better late than never.