The Wrights’ actual house is in the Ford Museum in Michigan. The porch, meant to represent the house, is in the Wright-Dunbar neighborhood. It is peppered with exposed nails and some of the wood is rotted.
Anthony F. Sculimbrene, director of the National Aviation Heritage Alliance, the nonprofit agency that owns the structure, said bids are being sought for repair of the porch and a dilapidated wooden rotunda surrounding a statue of Orville Wright near the intersection of Third Street and Broadway Avenue, the site of the Wrights’ last workshop.
Both were installed as part of Dayton’s 2003 centennial celebration of Wilbur and Orville Wright’s first flight.
The alliance will seek donations for repairs from certain sources, Sculimbrene said, noting that it will cost about $5,000 for an improved porch and more for the rotunda.
“I can’t believe how much deterioration we’ve seen at both of these sites,” he said. Repairs will be complete by the end of September, he said.
That was welcome news to Dean Alexander, superintendent for Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park.
He said the porch has been in disrepair since he took his position about 18 months ago.
His staffers wrapped caution tape around the porch a few months ago after receiving continued reports from park visitors that the park was dangerous.
After visiting the porch with his 2-year-old twins, Berry and a neighbor complained about the porch’s condition.
He said he routinely sees visitors at the taped site.
“The people (who visit the site) aren’t local people who are walking through,” he said. “That’s their first look at Dayton.”
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