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Bicycle
When bicycling had become popular, the enterprising Wright brothers decided to open a bicycle repair shop across the street. Eventually they were building and selling custom-made bicycles as well as repairing them. -
When he was born
He was born in Millville, Indiana. He was the third child of Bishop Milton Wright and Susan Catharine Wright. The family moved to Hawthorn Street in Dayton, Ohio. -
Leaving High School
When he was only 18 years old, Orville left high school and started a printing business, using a press that he had made himself. Wilbur joined the business, and they did very well. -
Lilienthal
The Wright brothers were devastated when Lilienthal was killed by an unexpected gust of wind in a glider accident in 1890. -
Powered Flight
Wilbur spent days in the library studying Lilienthal's designs and concluded that the trick to successful flight would be inventing a plane you could control and power. The Wright brothers would spend the next thirteen years of their lives pursuing that dream. They achieved powered flight on December 17, 1903 -
President Therodore Roosevelt
Finally, in 1909, President Theodore Roosevelt contacted the Wright brothers and signed a deal with them to build airplanes for the US army. -
Wilbur's Death
They continued to design and manufacture planes until 1912, when Wilbur died of typhoid fever. Even though the Wright Plane Company continued to exist after Wilbur's death, Orville sold his shares and retired. He continued to act as a consultant to other scientists, but Orville would not invent again without his brother.