This post is my 100th. My initial posts for this blog date back to May of 2014. Over the past twelve years, as I've added posts, no post is really considered officially finished. As I've come across additional information applicable to a specific post topic, I've added information or made revisions to that post. For a number of topics, I've reworked and republished the post, usually keeping the original post, but noting that a newer revised version is available. In a sense, this blog is meant to be a living document of the Wright Brothers, meaning that unlike a published book, this story can continue to grow in scope, with corrections made without requiring printed errata or newer editions.
I believe my world view, faith, and life experiences, aids me in interpreting the Wright Story in a unique way. Wilbur and Orville were preacher's kids, as was I. Their father's occupation required the family to move often, as did our family. I'm an introvert as was Orville, and often I will be lost in my thoughts as Wilbur was. I understand the demands, pressures, and responsibilities of a preacher's life, and so view Milton through that lens. And growing up with 7 siblings, I understand the dynamics of a larger family.
Reading through 150 or so aviation books, I continually came across contradictions between different author's accounts of Wright history, and contradictions from what authors stated compared to what I read from the primary sources. This led to the desire to provide corrections by creating this blog. As my personal collection of Wright memorabilia has grown, I've been fortunate to obtain family letters that provide a window into the lives of the Wright's extended family lines, which gave me a unique opportunity to share those stories in my posts.
The Wrights solved the age long mystery of heavier than air flight, and they were the first to fly in December 17, 1903. They continued to develop their machine at Huffman Prairie in Dayton, Ohio in 1904 and 1905, culminating in the world's first practical flying machine in October of 1905. No one successfully flew before them. The brothers were equal partners, and each contributed to the final solution. Of course, each had their own unique gifts in the effort. Their sister Katharine provided social and emotional support, but did not contribute financially or perform mathematical calculations for the invention. Their father provided loving support, and was not the domineering ogre as portrayed by so many historians. Their brother Reuchlin was not estranged from the family, and enjoyed a lifelong loving relationship with his father Milton. Orville was an introvert, but was a jokester and a tease around family and friends, and yes he did have close friendships with multiple people. Some of the details concerning the brothers printing and cycle businesses have been in error, and the corrections I've documented can easily be proven through examination of the Sanborn maps and Dayton directories and records.
So that sums it up. Just working at getting the story Wright, one post at a time.
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| The 100th Post, Getting The Story Wright. (1) |
The following are what I believe to be my top 25 best contributions to the Wright Story:
Gem City Ice Cream Building and Wright's First Cycle Shop
It had been long thought that the Wright's first Cycle Shop had been located within the Nicholas Block building, which later became occupied and expanded by the Gem City Ice Cream Company. My research found that the building did not exist in 1892/93 when the Wrights opened their first location.
The Wright Brother's Print and Cycle Shop Locations
The identified locations of several Wright Print and Cycle Shop buildings had been in error due to a lack of understanding by previous historians that address changes had occurred on West Third Street. The original Print Shop at 1210 West Third had been wrongly identified as within a building that didn't exist within the time period. The first Cycle shop was not at 1005, but instead was at 1015 West Third Street. The second Cycle Shop location was not in the empty lot previously occupied by the Orth Building, but instead was within the footprint of where the Setzer Building remnant now stands.
Reuchlin Wright- The Eldest Wright Brother
Reuchlin has been portrayed by many historians as a troubled individual, estranged from the rest of the family, insecure, and unsuccessful in his life pursuits. I believe this is an unfair assessment of this man of good character. Not just unfair, but factually incorrect, and not supported by the evidence.
Christianity amongst the Wrights
Wilbur and Orville grew up within a Christian family. Wilbur took care of his mother the last two years of her life, and the brothers wrote "We children learned to look upon mother as almost perfection itself...A Christian since a child....Mother will ever live as the truest Christian, the noblest woman.....her spirit will ever be with us." Other authors have written that neither brother had their father's faith. I disagree, and provide my thoughts in my most popular post.
Bishop Milton Wright, Father of the Wright Brothers, The Wright Story and Bishop Milton Wright, Editor of Religious Telescope and Father of Wilbur and Orville Wright
Milton Wright has been portrayed in such a negative light by so many different historians, often with accounts that were simply false. I believe I've written a more accurate and definitely a more positive picture of this man of steadfast faith, and a strong love for his family and community.
The Missing Milton Wright to Grace Frazier Letters
Through an act of providence, I obtained an archive of 34 letters written by Milton Wright to his grand-niece Grace Frazier, along with photographs, family letters, and other items associated with the Harvey Wright family tree. I had purchased the archive at Auction, but the letters were lost by the California Auction house prior to mailing. Two years later, the letters surfaced in New York City. The archive is freely shared in this post. The family lines are explained in detail. Grace was one of Harvey Wright's grand-daughters, daughter of Emma Jane Wright and William Edward Frazier. Harvey was one of Milton Wright's brothers. Many of Milton's letters shared in this post inform Grace of Wilbur and Orville's activities, with the letters spanning from 1909 through 1913, including news of Wilbur's illness, and of the Dayton flood.
This account of Wilbur's battle with typhoid fever is unique in that it shares the content of several letters within the archive mentioned in my post, The Missing Milton Wright to Grace Frazier Letters, previously unknown to historians written by Milton Wright. He shared his thoughts with his grand-niece Grace Frazier in a letter written May 18, 1912, "But he had a strong attack of typhoid fever, two weeks ago, yesterday, and it is too soon, to expect any abatement of it...." Then within hours of Wilbur's death, Milton wrote to Grace a letter dated May 29, 1912, shared in this post.
The Story of Herbert and Irene Wright and Raising Wilbur Herbert Wright
These two posts are based on an archive I obtained of family letters and photographs saved by Wilbur Herbert Wright, son of Herbert and Irene Wright. Herbert was Reuchlin and Lulu Wright's son, and so was Orville Wright's nephew. Wilbur H. Wright was Orville's grand-nephew. The Story of Herbert and Irene Wright includes letters written by Irene to her husband Herbert while he served in France during WWI. The post ends with the birth of their son Wilbur. Raising Wilbur Herbert Wright tells the story of the difficulties Wilbur had losing his mother just prior to his 11th birthday, and then adjusting to a new family when his father remarried several years later. Wilbur enjoyed multiple trips visiting his Uncle Orv at Lambert Island, and associated letters are shared.
Five Copper Cents- The True Account of Jacob and Amanda Billheimer- Reuchlin Wright's In-Laws
I don't believe Reuchlin Wright's In-laws, the Billheimers, have been represented fairly by many Wright Brother historians. This post provides details of the struggles of William Hanby, Amanda's father, and of Amanda's upbringing. Jacob and Amanda served as missionaries in Africa at the risk of their own lives due to resulting health issues. The family eventually would move to a home south of the Wright family homestead on Hawthorn Street, where Jacob and Amanda's daughter Lulu would meet Milton and Susan Wright's son Reuchlin.
Orville Wright- A Genuine Friend
Orville Wright has at times been portrayed in a negative light and therefore treated rather unfairly by certain authors. One such example can be found in Lawrence Goldstone's book "Birdmen- The Wright Brothers, Glenn Curtiss, and the Battle to Control the Skies". In the Epilogue, the author wrote, "For all his achievements and notoriety, it is difficult to view Orville Wright as anything but a sad and lonely man who never found his calling- and perhaps never sought it- and who died without ever making one genuine friend." Colonel E. A. Deeds wrote, "I have known Orville Wright intimately for many years. He was one of my closest friends and his passing is a deep personal loss." In this post, Goldstone's statement is shown to be a total misrepresentation of Orville Wright's personality and of his relationships.
Hawthorn Street, Dayton, Ohio- Neighborhood of the Wright Brothers
Who were the neighbors of the Wright family during the years of 1871 though 1914? Who were the families that shed the tears and shoveled the mud of the 1913 flood from the basements and first floor of their homes, side by side with Milton, Orville, and Katharine? Some of the names we know; the Sines, and the Feights. Louis Chmiel, author of Ohio Home of the Wright Brothers Birthplace of Aviation, had suspected Reuchlin's in-laws home still stood, but due to address changes along Hawthorn, the home had sat preserved, hidden from history. This post confirms Louis Chmiel's suspicion that the Billheimer residence still stands on Hawthorn Street.
15 North Broadway- Wright Aeronautical Laboratory
Orville did much more than just "tinker" at his Laboratory at 15 North Broadway. I've provided details of the building itself, providing my best guess as to the floor plan layout. The 1903 Kitty Hawk Flyer sat in this building, restored, and awaiting shipment to London in 1928. Orville's new 1916 wind tunnel was utilized to perform design testing for the world's first self-guided aerial bomb, the Kettering Bug. Orville designed a cypher machine here during WWII. I believe this is one of my most informative posts on a portion of Orville's life that perhaps readers have not found covered to much extent elsewhere.
The Miami Wood Specialty and Wright-Dayton Companies
The Miami Wood Specialty Company was founded in 1922, with Lorin Wright as Vice-President, and his son-in-law Harold S. Miller as secretary and treasurer. By 1924, Lorin was manufacturing "Flips and Flops", a toy designed by his brother Orville. Other wooden toys were produced which sold not just in the Dayton area, but world wide. Balsa wood Wright Flyers and other airplane designs were offered, and by 1936, 1.5 million toy airplanes were manufactured annually. This post provides history of Lorin's company, which became the Wright-Dayton Company after changing ownership following Lorin's death in 1939.
Edwin Sines- Life Long Friend of the Wright Brothers
Ed Sines has often been referred to as the "childhood friend of Orville Wright", but his relationship with Orville and the entire Wright family was much more than just that. He was also friends with Wilbur, Reuchlin, Lorin, and Katharine, well into their adult lives. Further, his parents, Thomas and Isabella were close friends with Milton and Susan Wright. This post follows the life and accomplishments of Edwin Sines, his wife Beatrice, their nephew John Jackson, and other family members. I was blessed to obtain a postcard directly from the grand-niece of Edwin and Beatrice, sent to Ed by Wilbur Wright from Le Mans in October 1908. Cards sent to the Sines family by Orville and by Katharine are also shared. Again, a unique telling of the life of Edwin Sines, a post I'm proud to have produced.
Lottie Jones and the Wright Family
Lottie Jones assisted the Wright family with Laundry services for the majority of her lifetime, from the age of 21, (or possibly even as early as age 17), to the early 1940's. She purchased the Wright home at 7 Hawthorn Street from Katharine Wright in 1923, and eventually sold it at Orville's request to Henry Ford in 1936. In this post, I share details of Lottie and her husband Luther's family and struggles. Details are provided of which you will not find in any books on the Wright Brothers, and I'm again proud to have the opportunity to tell the story.
Amos I. Root Much A Buzz About the Wright Brothers
Amos I. Root was a neat individual. In this post I simply share the contents of many of his letters written to Wilbur and Orville, which are readily available in the archives of the Library of Congress. In that sense I'm not presenting new information, but, the story of his contacts with the Wright's hasn't been presented in a consolidated manner elsewhere (that I'm aware of), and so I feel the account I provide in this post is unique in that sense. Amos Root, a man true to his faith to the very end.
Wilbur and Orville Wright, Equal Partners in First Flight
So many authors have written that either the majority or all of the credit for the Wright Flyer should go to Wilbur Wright. This, in spite of what was expressed by Wilbur, Orville, Katharine, their father Milton, their niece Ivonette, and other family members, relatives, and friends- that the brothers were equal partners in the research and solutions to heavier than air flight. Why shouldn't we take their word for it?
The Wright Brother 1903 Western Union and Postal Telegraph Telegrams
It is one thing to forge a signature onto an old envelope or photo which essentially simply separates the uneducated buyer from his finances. It is quite another thing to forge a document that if not recognized as such, could in effect change the accepted history of an event. In this post I provide the true history of the various telegrams sent by Wilbur and Orville Wright from Kitty Hawk in December of 1903 to their family in Dayton, Ohio, and then compare these to telegrams made to appear as if they were sent by the Wright Brothers. I end the post by exposing a similar fabricated telegram made to appear as if it were sent during the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. This telegram was evaluated as genuine and offered for sale by a major Auction house for a starting bid of $25,000, but fortunately it did not sell. Smithsonian Magazine even published an article about this "historic" Titanic telegram. I prove positively that the telegram was created at least two years after the Titanic sank!
The 1903 Wright Flyer Fabric and Wood Remnants
This post is one of my longest, and possibly the interest in its contents will be to a degree limited to those who have purchased pieces of fabric and/or wood fragments that have been documented as from the 1903 Wright Flyer. I put a lot of research and work in this post, with the intent to raise a number of questions concerning these collectables. The Flyer was stored in shipping crates from 1903 to 1913, and was submerged under flood waters and mud. No record exists that any cleaning effort occurred until the crates were unpacked in 1916. What was the level of damage to the fabric, and what percentage of the fabric was repaired or replaced when the flyer was restored in 1916 for display at M.I.T.? The Flyer fabric was totally replaced in 1926/27 in preparation for shipment to London. How do we know that fabric remnants in our possession date to flown 1903 fabric, vs. fabric removed in 1926/27 that was installed in 1916? I absolutely believe portions of the 1903 fabric survived, but which portions? I provide evidence strongly suggesting the lower left wing 127.5 SF fabric on display at the USAF Museum in Dayton is 1903 flown fabric with 1916 repair patches. Further, I provide evidence strongly suggesting the roughly 144 SF upper right wing fabric in the Smithsonian archives is 1916 fabric removed in 1926/27.
1127 West Third Street- The Wright Cycle Company
The Wright's Cycle Shop formerly located at 1127 West Third Street in Dayton, Ohio is currently preserved at the Henry Ford Museum at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan. This post covers the history of this building and how it was moved piece by piece to Greenfield Village, with photographs of the construction as provided with courtesy of the Collections of the Henry Ford, Benson Ford Research Center, collected there during my research visit for this article.
The 1913 Dayton Flood, and the Wright Family and The 1913 Dayton, Ohio Flood- As told by Bishop Milton Wright
My initial post provides a list of the Wright's neighbors in 1913, and maps showing where close neighbors on the west side of Dayton lost their lives. Milton's day to day diary entries are shared during the period and aftermath of the flood, and expanded upon with related information and photos. I share a number of flood related items from my collection, and a letter written by a woman to a friend describing the flood conditions. In the second post, I used articles written by Milton Wright published in The Christian Conservator in April of 1913, where Milton tells his account of the flood in detail. Further, I share a letter Milton wrote to his grand-niece Grace Frazier written April 18, 1913 with details of the flood, followed by another letter dated June 10th, both letters from my collection.
The Wright Brothers 1909 Celebration, Dayton, Ohio
Numerous Wright historians have claimed that Wilbur and Orville were not pleased by the celebration Dayton hosted June 17th and 18th of 1909. They quote a letter Wilbur wrote two weeks prior to the celebration where Wilbur, writing to Octave Chanute says they are not as appreciative as they might have been as the celebration was planned in spite of their known wishes. But these historians then don't examine the reaction of the brothers during the celebration! Wilbur was in tears! Numerous authors have written that Wilbur and Orville were unsmiling during the ceremony, and said only a few words. This is nonsense, and I correct the history in this post with their statements and photographs of their huge smiles during the event.
In addition to the posts on the history, I've also written posts on collecting items associated with the Wrights.
Buyer Beware When Collecting Wright Brother Items- Revised
I've written 16 posts on collecting items associated with the Wright Brothers. Unfortunately, the market is flooded with products made to appear as if signed by Wilbur and Orville, and they are offered everyday on E-bay and by a multitude of auction houses. And unfortunately, they sell. My posts provide information on collecting letters by Orville and Wilbur, pilot licenses signed by Orville, 1909 Dayton Celebration posters and programs, first flight magazines and newspapers, Orville Wright estate magazines, pamphlets, and bulletins, Louis Christman drawings of the 1903 and 1905 flyers, first flight photos signed by Orville, and other collectables. For the list of posts, check out the section "Collecting Wright Brother Items" within the main Index where all posts are listed, with links- Index
Finally, if you get my sense of humor, check out the last section of the index, "Wright Brother Humor".
Copyright 2026-Getting the Story Wright
Notes-
1. Image generated by Google AI as prompted and edited by Matt Yanney / Getting The Story Wright.
