Hawthorn Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hawthorn Hill
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Hawthorn Hill in the winter
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 901 Harman Avenue, Oakwood, Ohio |
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| Built | 1914 |
| Architect | Schenck & Williams, Wilbur and Orville Wright |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001585 |
| Added to NRHP | October 18, 1974 |
Hawthorn Hill is a famous house in Oakwood, Ohio. It was the home of Orville Wright and his family after 1914. Orville and his brother Wilbur, who invented the airplane, planned to live there together. Sadly, Wilbur passed away in 1912, before the house was finished in 1914.
The Wright brothers hired a well-known architecture company called Schenck and Williams to help build their dream home. In 1914, Orville moved into Hawthorn Hill with his father, Milton, and his sister, Katharine.
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What Makes Hawthorn Hill Special?
Hawthorn Hill was named after the many hawthorn trees on the property. There are at least 150 of these trees around the house! The property started as a very large area, about 17 acres, which is like 13 football fields. Today, it is still quite big, covering about 3 acres.
Orville Wright's Clever Inventions
Orville Wright was not just an airplane inventor; he also designed some cool features for his house. He created a special water tank to collect and reuse rainwater. He also designed a central vacuum system, which was very advanced for its time. These ideas show how creative and smart Orville was, even when building a home.
A Meeting Place for Aviation Heroes
For 34 years, Hawthorn Hill was a popular spot for important people in American aviation. Many famous pilots, engineers, and leaders visited Orville Wright there. It was a place where ideas about flying and technology were shared and celebrated.
Hawthorn Hill's Journey Through Time
After Orville Wright passed away in 1948, the NCR Corporation bought Hawthorn Hill. They used the house as a special guesthouse for important visitors and for company events. Sometimes, they even opened it to the public for tours.
A Gift to the Wright Family Foundation
On August 18, 2006, which was Orville Wright's 135th birthday and National Aviation Day, NCR gave Hawthorn Hill to the Wright Family Foundation. This generous gift helped make sure the historic home would be preserved for future generations.
Public Tours and Historical Records
Since September 2007, Dayton History, working with the Wright Family Foundation, has offered public tours of Hawthorn Hill. This means you can visit and see where the famous inventor lived!
When NCR owned the house, they redecorated most of the rooms. However, Orville's study, which was his personal workspace, still looks much like it did when he lived there. Right after Orville's death, a photographer took pictures of the house's interior. These photos help us know what the rooms looked like before they were changed.
Hawthorn Hill: A National Treasure
Hawthorn Hill is recognized as a very important historical site. In 1991, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior named it a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a place of great national importance. In January 2008, it was also added to a special list for potential World Heritage sites, as part of the Dayton Aviation Sites. It is also a key part of the National Aviation Heritage Area, which celebrates the history of flight in the Dayton area.
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