KILL DEVIL HILLS, NC
Monday, December 15, 2003

Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton and North Carolina Governor Mike Easley will dedicate a life-size, interactive sculpture of the Wright brothers' First Flight on Tuesday, December 16, at the Wright Brothers National Memorial.

The ceremony, part of the First Flight Centennial Celebration, will take place at 4:00 p.m. at the site of the bronze and stainless steel work of art, which is a gift to the park from the State of North Carolina. Secretary Norton will officially accept the gift on behalf of Wright Brothers National Memorial.

The 10,000-pound sculpture depicts the 1903 Wright Flyer with Orville Wright on board, as it is about to leave the ground; Wilbur Wright running along side; and local resident John Daniels who photographed the historic first flight on December 17. The North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources provided $250,000 in public arts program funding for the sculpture.

The dedication had originally been scheduled for Sunday, December 14, but had to be rescheduled due to inclement weather.

WHO: Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton, North Carolina Governor Mike Easley.
WHAT: Dedication of Wright brothers' First Flight sculpture.
WHEN: December 16, 2003, 4:00 p.m.
WHERE: Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, at the sculpture site in the park.

Contact:

Frank Quimby
571-236-3196

MEDIA ONLY:
Cari Boyce
919-733-5612