Visitors to St. Louis are greeted by the Gateway Arch, a 630-foot-tall monument commemorating westward expansion, a phenomenal era in nineteenth century American history. While clearly worthy of recognition, how does that compare to the achievement of flight – a singularity – an unparalleled advance that would change not only our country, but our world?
Dayton, it is time to claim our rightful place in history. It is time to dispel any confusion regarding the origin of the first flight and the hometown of the brothers who were first to successfully operate a practical aircraft, right here in the skies over Dayton.
The Wright Image Group formed in 2005 to create The Triumph of Flight, a monument acknowledging the phenomenon of flight. Our board has long held that the achievement of flight merits recognition on a national scale. They created an awe-inspiring design - a spectacular 144-foot-wide stainless-steel facsimile of the Wright Flyer III, supported by a dramatically angled backlit pedestal, and anchored by streaming steel cables depicting the exhilaration of flight. They identified what appeared to be an ideal location – the intersection of I-70 and I-75. That site, however, had limitations. For one, it was too far from Dayton proper. Expansive plans at its base had increased the cost to a level that could not be supported. Further, that location had no ties to the multitude of aviation heritage sites in our region.
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
How would visitors to Dayton know that they arrived at a vibrant center of excellence in aviation, past and present? The billboard that had acclaimed the teaching prowess of the Wright Brothers has since been repurposed. All a visitor driving into our city from the airport might see is a tiny image of a Wright Flyer perched atop a “Welcome to Dayton” sign near Stanley Avenue.
Not unlike the Wright Brothers, the Wright Image Group has had its share of challenges, but like those pioneers of aviation, the board remains undaunted. They abandoned the I-70/I-75 site, first in favor of the Wright Brothers Factory in West Dayton. The subsequent fire at that site was tragic and now the city, seemingly in favor initially, has withdrawn their support. The group has since shifted their focus to the possibility of building on or near McCook Field. That site offers the advantage of being clearly visible to an estimated annual 120,000 passersby on I-75, while concurrently close enough to Dayton to become a new addition to the city’s skyline. McCook Field, among the nation’s first airports, offers an all-important tie to the area’s aviation heritage. It merits a monument in its own right, considering the many aviation “firsts” achieved in its short but illustrious past.
Dayton has a phenomenal history. The Wright Image Group has an inspiring vision for the future. We have identified a new site that offers significant advantages over past options, one that merits careful consideration. Can we have your support? It is time for Dayton’s citizens, city planners, local and regional political leaders, and champions of industry to rally behind the idea that Dayton merits a monument of national stature – one acknowledging that the achievement of flight forever changed the world – and one that forevermore memorializes an event that occurred right here – in the skies over Dayton, Ohio.
Joe Lehman is Director Emeritus of the Wright Image Group, Inc.
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