DAYTON, Ohio — Two of America’s most enduring symbols of freedom and flight have come together at Carillon Historical Park, where a pair of bald eagles has built a nest high in a sycamore tree directly above the 1905 Wright Flyer III — the world’s first practical airplane and the only one designated a National Historic Landmark.
The eagles recently welcomed two eaglets, now named Liberty and America, and the family has made its home above Wright Hall, the centerpiece of the Wright Brothers National Museum.
“Their presence creates a living connection between two icons of American flight: The national bird and the airplane that changed the course of human history,” museum officials said.
While the bald eagles have nested at Carillon Historical Park since 2018, the significance of their story reached a new level in September 2026 when Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) entered the story of the eagles and their newly hatched eaglets into the Congressional Record, honoring their connection to the museum and Dayton’s legacy of flight.
“When these two bald eagles were born in a tall sycamore above the Wright Brothers National Museum and the 1905 Wright Flyer III — the world’s first practical airplane — it marked an extraordinary moment for Carillon Historical Park and the Dayton community,” said Brady Kress, president and CEO of Dayton History. “Here were two symbols of American flight, separated by more than a century of history, making Carillon Park their home. In this 250th anniversary year of our nation, we’re honored that Congressman Turner decided to mark this extraordinary moment in the Congressional Record.”
The bald eagle has represented the United States since the Second Continental Congress adopted it as the nation’s symbol in 1782. After coming perilously close to extinction in the 20th century, the species has made a remarkable recovery. Bald eagles returned to the Dayton area in 2008 after an absence of roughly 70 years.
The eagles’ home also has another distinction. In 2025, Gov. Mike DeWine visited Carillon Historical Park and the Wright Brothers National Museum for a ceremonial signing designating the 1905 Wright Flyer III as Ohio’s official state airplane.
As the nation marks 250 years, Liberty and America offer visitors a living reminder that American history is not confined to the past. Above the original 1905 Wright Flyer III — the airplane Orville Wright considered the brothers’ most important contribution to aviation — two national symbols are making a history of their own.
For more information: DaytonHistory.org
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