Elizabeth City Celebrates Centennial of Flight
airport, celebration, culture, elizabeth city, flight, history, the wright brothers,
The Wright brothers are alive and well in Elizabeth City this year. As the world celebrates the 100th anniversary of their first flight‚ so will the town that launched them on their way.
Several commemorations are planned‚ and others may be added during the year – all as part of the national Centennial of Flight celebration.
In June‚ Elizabeth City Regional Airport will pay homage with an event called “Lighter Than Air.” The airport will showcase the link between the Wright brothers’ accomplishment at Kitty Hawk in December 1903‚ and the aviation operations that later settled here.
Visitors can expect to see airships from around the country tethered here‚ highlighting Elizabeth City’s role in the dirigible industry.
Just as it was for Orville and Wilbur Wright in 1903‚ Elizabeth City is a gateway for tourists on their way to Kitty Hawk. The airport is the closest landing point for that area of the Outer Banks‚ and travelers will be reminded this year of the city’s key role in that first flight.
The Wrights came to Elizabeth City for quite practical reasons: Their train line terminated here. The aviation pioneers used the stopover to acquire the supplies they needed before proceeding on to Kitty Hawk.
The city also is planning a re-enactment of the Wright brothers’ arrival and passage through town‚ says Russ Haddad‚ tourism director for the Elizabeth City Chamber of Commerce. Local actors are already working on a play for the re-enactment‚ which is slated for September.
Several other special events are planned‚ including an aviation-themed Christmas parade hosted by local community groups. The downtown area’s annual historic Ghostwalk will incorporate the Wright brothers theme‚ and several new historical markers are being added to the aviation trail.
“The entire community is getting involved with the celebration – it’s been very exciting to see‚” Haddad says.
The U.S. Coast Guard‚ which maintains one of its largest bases in Elizabeth City‚ will also be part of the show‚ says Coast Guard spokesman Mike Trotochaud. Several ideas are under consideration‚ “but you can be sure we will have a role in the festivities‚” he says.
“The Wright brothers’ arrival in Elizabeth City played an important role in our local history and the development of our aviation industry‚” Haddad says. “It’s important to share that story – we just want to enlighten people.”
Story by Lindsay Chappell
Photo by the Library of Congress
