Kill Devil Hills Memorial Association
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The Kill Devil Hills Memorial Association was created in 1927 by W.O. Saunders, the editor and publisher of Elizabeth City's weekly newspaper, The Independent. It was founded to build a monument to the Wright brothers' first powered, controlled flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. [1] This would eventually become what is known as the Wright Brothers National Memorial.
In 1926, with the 25th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first flight approaching in 1928, Saunders promoted an effort to acknowledge their accomplishments in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Saunders persuaded U.S. Representative Lindsay C. Warren of North Carolina to propose federal legislation to build a memorial to Wilbur and Orville Wright's first flight in 1903 at the base of Big Kill Devil Hill. Warren introduced a bill to Congress for a memorial on December 17, 1926. On the same day, Senator Hiram Bingham of Connecticut also introduced a memorial bill. The act[vague] was signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge on March 2, 1927.[2]
Saunders rounded up a group of Elizabeth City business leaders to promote the project. The 46 businessmen formed the Kill Devil Hills Memorial Association on August 16, 1927. Saunders was chosen as the first president. The first officers of the KDHMA included: J.C.B. Ehringhaus of Elizabeth City, first vice president; Thomas Nixon of Hertford, second vice president; Dudley W. Bagley of Moyock, third vice president; and W.G. Gaither of Elizabeth City, secretary and treasurer.[3]
The KDHMA hoped that a new monument would lead to benefits for the Outer Banks, like tourism, roads and bridges. The area was not easily accessible, even in 1928 for the 25th anniversary celebration of the first flight.
The association was later named the Kill Devil Hills Memorial Society. Years later it was renamed The First Flight Society.
References[edit]
- ↑ "The Conquest of the Air Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
- ↑ "Commemorating the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk". U.S. National Park Service. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ↑ "Memorial Body Always Behind Tower Plans". digital.lib.ecu.edu. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
This article incorporates public domain material from the National Park Service document: "Commemorating the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
External links[edit]
Wright Brothers National Memorial
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