logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2025
39m 50s

The Wright Brothers | The Art of the Bir...

Wondery
About this episode

In the late-1890s, two brothers from Ohio, Wilbur and Orville Wright, became obsessed with what Wilbur described as “the problem of flight.” With no formal training or funding, they threw themselves into studying the mechanics of birds, determined to design a new method of flying for humans. They soon began building a glider in the small workshop above their bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio.

It wasn’t long before the Wright brothers would travel to North Carolina’s Outer Banks to test their glider. Facing swarming mosquitoes and biting winds, they would risk their lives in their quest to be the first pilots to the sky. 

Order your copy of the new American History Tellers book, The Hidden History of the White House, for behind-the-scenes stories of some of the most dramatic events in American history—set right inside the house where it happened.

Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter

Listen to American History Tellers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-history-tellers/ now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Aug 22
FAN FAVORITE: California Gold Rush | The Forty Niners | 2
In early 1849, thousands of gold-hungry Americans began pouring into California from the eastern United States. But most of the so-called 49ers were wildly unprepared for the perilous journey west. Once they reached California, they found unexpected obstacles and fierce competiti ... Show More
37m 46s
Aug 20
FAN FAVORITE: The Insurrection of Aaron Burr | The Severance of the Union | 3
In August 1806, Aaron Burr began the final preparations for his mysterious expedition to the western frontier. As he traveled, rumors that he was plotting a dangerous conspiracy followed in his wake.Newspapers reported that Burr was planning to invade Mexico and start a secession ... Show More
40m 51s
Aug 20
FAN FAVORITE: California Gold Rush | The First Strike | 1
After the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill in 1848, hundreds of thousands of prospectors poured into California, hoping to strike it rich. In the early days, rather than coming from within the U.S., most miners arrived from places like China, Hawaii, Chile, and Australia. But w ... Show More
37m 17s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2025
Family Shipwrecked in Alaska | Home | 1
It’s February 13, 1979. Elmo Wortman and his three children are sailing home to Alaska across the frigid North Pacific after a routine orthodontist visit in Canada. But this time, they get caught in a freak storm—80-mile-per-hour winds and towering 20-foot swells rip their homema ... Show More
47m 16s
May 10
CLASSIC: Lawsonomy: How the Father of the Modern Airline Started His Own Religion
When middling baseball player Alfred Lawson first learned of the Wright Brothers, he experienced a revelation that would guide the greater part of his life: Aviation, he believed, was the future of more than just transit -- it would become one of the most important advances in th ... Show More
51m 46s
Dec 2024
Crashed in the Canadian Wilderness | Ice | 1
On an icy October night in 1984, a young, overworked pilot took off from Edmonton, Alberta, in a small commuter plane with nine passengers aboard, including a politician, a cop and his prisoner. Battling thick cloud cover and the accumulation of ice on the aircraft, the pilot mis ... Show More
34m 38s
Jun 4
The Optimism of Jefferson DeBlanc
When fighter pilot Jefferson DeBlanc survived being shot at in a crazy dogfight over the Solomon Islands in World War Two, his adventure was only beginning. What happened after he parachuted out of his burning plane is a story of grit, blind optimism, and against-all-odds surviva ... Show More
41m 57s
Jan 2025
The Unraveling of Boeing | The Crash | 1
It’s 2019 and after another deadly plane crash, Boeing finds its reputation and business in free fall. Its best-selling passenger jet, the 737 Max, is forced out of the skies and the company is forced to reckon with its mistakes.  Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podca ... Show More
34m 9s
Feb 2025
Nome Serum Run: Race Against Death | Togo’s Descendants | 4
In honor of the 100-year anniversary of the Nome Serum Run, Maine musher Jonathan Nathaniel Hayes is recreating the run. And he’s doing it with a team descended directly from Leonhard Seppala’s original dogs. Today, Hayes joins host Mike Corey to talk about the inspiration and pr ... Show More
36 m
Jan 2025
Saturday Matinee: American History Tellers
On today’s Saturday Matinee, we prepare for takeoff with the Wright Brothers and hear their story about how they created the first airplane to take flight. Link to American History Tellers: https://wondery.com/shows/american-history-tellers/ Support the show! Join Into History fo ... Show More
41m 18s
Oct 2024
Concorde: Sonic Boom and Bust | Dr. Keith McLoughlin On The History and Future of Supersonic Passenger Flight | 5
Author Dr. Keith McLoughlin explores how Concorde changed history - and became history as the aviation industry evolved and supersonic passenger travel fell out of favor.Listen to Business Movers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-fre ... Show More
48m 43s
Mar 2025
America’s Human Test Subjects
The Cold War made America desperate for new weapons. The military looked beyond nuclear bombs into chemicals and drugs: LSD and Sarin gas. But first, they needed test subjects. They turned to their own soldiers and turned men into lab rats. Today’s episode explores two stories ab ... Show More
43m 40s
May 8
Virgin Territory: Richard Branson’s Business Beginnings | Flight Path | 4
Virgin Atlantic takes to the sky and upends the aviation industry, but the new venture also throws Richard Branson into battle with one of Britain’s biggest corporations.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https: ... Show More
34m 30s