Monument to the Impossible

A design competition among 35 entrants was won by Rogers and Poor, a New York architectural firm. Their 60-foot tower, similar to those used to mark courses in air races, was embellished with wings on its side and a five-point star serving as the base to symbolize man’s conquest of the air. Though designed with paper and pencil, carving 80 tons of solid Mount Airy granite into surgically precise multifaceted blocks with hand and pneumatic tools was no simple task. Assembled at a final cost of over $285,000, the Wright Memorial honors the Wright Brothers and inspires people who believe and, by believing, accomplish the impossible.

Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina · United States