Young Wilbur and Orville first showed an interest in flight with their first “helicopter.” They created the flying toy with rubber bands, and sold copies of it, along with handmade kites, to friends at school (3). During his time as a high school student, Orville started a printing press business with a press he designed and built himself, printing newspapers edited by Wilbur (1).
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The two most famous Wright Brothers were collectively described as athletic, intellectual, and mechanically-inclined when growing up (1). Wilbur Wright was born in 1867. Orville Wright followed in 1871. Despite their fame as a duo, they were not the only children of Milton and Susan Wright.
The first son in the Wright family was Reuchlin, born in 1861. He was uninvolved in the flight activities of his younger brothers. Lorin Wright, born a year later, ended up taking photographs of the flight experiments and was the one who notified the press of his brothers’ successes. He continued to aid them throughout his life. Katherine was born in 1874, after Wilbur, and was incredibly close with him and Orville for the majority of her life. She was the only Wright to graduate college, and was made an officer at the Wright Company after Wilbur’s death (2). |
(1) The Library of Congress. "The Dream of Flight." Last modified July 29, 2010. Accessed May 16, 2016. https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/wb-achieve.html.
(2) Wright Brothers Aeroplane Company. "Wright Timeline." Last modified 2010. Accessed May 16, 2016. http://www.wright-brothers.org/History_Wing/Wright_Story/Wright_Timeline/Wright_Timeline_1880_1889.htm.
(3) "The Wright Brothers Story." NASA. Last modified December 1, 2003. Accessed May 16, 2016. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/k-4/features/F_Wright_Brothers_Story.html.
(2) Wright Brothers Aeroplane Company. "Wright Timeline." Last modified 2010. Accessed May 16, 2016. http://www.wright-brothers.org/History_Wing/Wright_Story/Wright_Timeline/Wright_Timeline_1880_1889.htm.
(3) "The Wright Brothers Story." NASA. Last modified December 1, 2003. Accessed May 16, 2016. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/k-4/features/F_Wright_Brothers_Story.html.