Appropriation Of $1 million Will Work To Preserve Historic Buildings On Factory Site

The Ohio General Assembly has approved $1 million to save the Wright Brothers’ Factory for a national park site, Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger announced Wednesday in a news conference in front of the historic factory buildings that included several Dayton-area lawmakers.

“Through final approval of Ohio house bill 390, the Wright brothers’ factory project is planned to receive an appropriation of $1 million to allow us to preserve the Wright brothers’ factory for the future use of the National Park Service,” said Rep. Jeff Rezabek, R-Clayton. The House approved the bill on May 25.

“Through coordination with the National Aviation Heritage Alliance (NAHA), we were able to secure the funding to ensure that this site can be treasured by generations to come,” Rezabek said. “Supporting projects like this one allows us to pay tribute to Wilbur and Orville Wright and to the significant impact they had not only to this region and this country, but the world.”

“No other state in the nation can claim the birthplace of aviation,” said Rosenberger, who is also an Air Force veteran. “Wilbur and Orville Wright invented the airplane in their Dayton bicycle shop, and their factory made Ohio the birthplace of America’s aviation industry.”

The buildings stand on a 54-acre site that was once the Delphi Home Avenue auto parts manufacturing plant. It’s located between West Third Street and U.S. 35 and intersected by Abbey Avenue.

Built by the Wright Company in 1910 and 1911, the factory’s two structures were the first in America built for airplane manufacturing.

NAHA’s goal is to put the factory in the hands of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, where it would complete the story of the Wright brothers’ invention, development and commercialization of the airplane in Ohio. The Park Service has asked Congress for $450,000 to acquire the buildings.

NAHA has been working with federal, state, local and private entities to save the Wright brothers’ factory since Delphi closed the plant in 2008. Approximately $5 million in public and private funds have been invested in clearing the site of all but a row of attached structures, which include the Wright factory buildings.

“This funding makes it possible for NAHA to acquire the factory and preserve them until the National Park Service can accept them, and it allows us to ensure that the surrounding property is redeveloped in ways that benefit both the national park and the surrounding neighborhood,” said Frank Winslow, chair of NAHA’s volunteer board of trustees.

“We are thrilled the State Legislature shares our community’s commitment to this important economic development project. Our region identified Dayton Aviation Heritage Development Project  as one of our top three regional priorities through our Priority Development Advocacy Committee, and we’re grateful to the Speaker and the Legislature for their support,” said Jeff Hoagland, president and CEO of the Dayton Development Coalition. “ A century ago, The Wright brothers’ factory produced some of the world’s first airplanes. Today, we are closer to the dream of seeing manufacturing taking place again at this historic site.”

Also in attendance were Ohio Representatives  Niraj Antani (R-Miamisburg), Jim Butler (R-Oakwood), Mike Henne (R-Clayton) and Rick Perales (R-Beavercreek).

(Images provided with NAHA news release. Top: Ohio State Rep. Jeff Rezabek (R-Clayton) announces a $1 million funding plan for the Wright brothers' factory with House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger (R-Clarksville) (left) and Rep. Rick Perales (R-Beavercreek). Bottom: Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger examines historical photos of the wright company factory as NAHA Executive Director Tony Sculimbrene describes them)

FMI: www.aviationheritagearea.org