At what North Carolina site did the Wright brothers make their first powered flights in 1903?

The Wright brothers made their first powered flights at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, in 1903.

The brothers chose the Outer Banks because its strong, steady winds suited their experiments and its sandy ground reduced the danger of hard landings. Their camp was commonly described as being at Kitty Hawk, the nearby settlement used for mail and supplies, but the actual launch site was at Kill Devil Hills.

The tall sand dune there was especially useful for earlier glider testing. After the powered flights, the site became one of the most important locations in aviation history. A national memorial now marks the hill and the surrounding area.

A common mix-up is treating Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills as identical names. Kitty Hawk identifies the broader locality in many historical accounts, while Kill Devil Hills is the specific town and launch-site area associated with the first powered flights.