This field was actually the World's First Airport (or at least that is what one of the info signs say) which is Huffman Prairie Flying Field. Now a part of the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (which can be seen from the field) . This field from 1903 to 1905 was where the Wright Brothers perfected their invention as they moved from the Wright Flyer of Kitty Hawk fame to the Wright Flyer III which is considered the world's first practical airplane. While both 'flew" and were controllable the Wright Flyer III was much easier to fly and could easily cover greater distances.
There is no admission charge to visit this site, and there you can see replicas of the hangar they built there as well as the replica of the catapult they designed to get the plane in the air. As Ohio did not have the winds of Kitty Hawk, NC they used that device to launch the planes into the air. It worked remarkably well. I have a few more photos on my "Racing with the Wind" motorcycle blog page.
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