Hawthorn Hill, Dayton

Hawthorn Hill, completed in 1914, was designed by Wilbur and Orville Wright. As the Wright brothers became more famous, they needed a larger home to host their many guests. They, along with their sister Katharine, bought a 17-acre wooded area called Hawthorn Hill, named after the many hawthorn trees on the hillside. Wilbur approved the final house plans in 1912 but died shortly after. Orville then took charge of the construction, spending a lot of time on-site.

The house featured many labor-saving devices and gadgets designed by Orville, such as a system that allowed him to control the furnace from upstairs, an early water softener for the large shower, special cleaning tools, a toaster that could slice and brown bread, a buzzer system between the dining room and kitchen, and a comfortable chair with a reading stand and adjustable footstool.

Hawthorn Hill, often called Orville's "machine for living," hosted many notable guests like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Carl Sandburg, Admiral Richard Byrd, King Constantine of Greece, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt. One famous visit was on June 22, 1927, when Charles Lindbergh stopped by after his nonstop flight over the Atlantic. He and Orville made a brief appearance on the balcony to appease a crowd gathered outside.

After Orville's death on January 30, 1948, his family sold the home. Edward Deeds of the National Cash Register Corporation (NCR) bought it, and it is still used as a guesthouse for international visitors and dignitaries.