The Wright Brothers Collection - Introduction

The collection of the Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur, from Dayton Ohio, covers the period 1852 to the present. The collection includes news- papers (the most valuable part of the collection), genealogical records, correspondence, aeronautical reports, photographs, scrapbooks, programs, memorabilia, rare books, and writings by the Wright Brothers as well as the general public. The collection came to the Library after the death of Orville Wright on Dec. 30, 1948. One of his executors, Harold S. Miller, husband of Ivonette Wright Miller (a niece of Wilbur and Orville Wright), selected The Dayton Metro Public Library as one of the repositories since the Millers, and other Wright heirs wanted the papers to remain in the Dayton area. Although the DMCPL is not the main repository on this subject, the collection includes much rare and valuable material from the Wright's Library, including the Aircraft yearbooks, aeronautical journals, Who's Who in Aeronautics and many others.

Linear feet of shelf occupied: 10.42

Approximate number of items: 9800
More than 275 items of rare books, pamphlets and programs

36 items in microfilms, 9 items in audiovisual materia

Dayton Collection, Manuscripts Section - The Wright Brothers

Dayton Collection, Manuscripts Section

The Wright Brothers Image Exhibit

This exhibit highlights the most important items included in the Wright brothers collection of the Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library.

Photographs Postcards Programs Memorabilia Rare Books Genealogy Posters

Scrapbooks Currently Available Online Scrapbook, 1890-1926 Scrapbook, 1927-1932 Other Scrapbooks are Available in Local History Room, these cover 1933 to 1996

The Wright Brothers Collection