7 things to know about Hawthorn Hill

Here are seven facts to know about Dayton's Hawthorn Hill:

1. It's the mansion of Orville Wright, the world's first pilot. It was built in 1914, two years after Orville's older brother, Wilbur, died of typhoid. Orville lived in the Oakwood mansion with his father, Bishop Milton Wright, and his sister, Katharine Wright.

2. Tours of the mansion are available on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The tours start at Carillon Historical Park. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 937-293-2841. Tours fill up fast.

3. The mansion originally sat on 17 acres, but most of the property was sold. What's left is three acres.

4. In the upstairs, Orville Wright had an interesting shower with multiple heads.

5. On display in Bishop Wright's bedroom is a quilt made by Susan Catherine Koerner Wright, the mother of Wilbur, Orville, Katharine and two other children.

6. Many famous people visited the mansion, including Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Carl Sandburg and Charles Lindbergh.

7. The basement contains a vault where Orville Wright kept his patents and documents because banks back then didn't have safe deposit boxes.

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