Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina

Kill Devil Hills is a town in Dare County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 7,633 people, making it the most populous place in both Dare County and on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The town is part of the Kill Devil Hills micropolitan statistical area, which includes all of Dare County and is linked to the larger Virginia Beach–Norfolk combined statistical area.

The town has great historical importance because it was the place where the Wright brothers made the first controlled, powered airplane flights on December 17, 1903. They chose this spot because of its steady winds. Although Kill Devil Hills didn’t exist as a town at the time of the flights, it was later established and officially recognized as a municipality in 1953. Nearby Kitty Hawk is often mentioned in connection with the first flight, as it was the closest settlement at that time and is located about 4 miles (6.4 km) to the north. The Wright Brothers National Memorial was built there in 1932 to honor this important achievement in aviation history.

History

Kill Devil Hills is famous for the Wright Brothers National Memorial, which honors the Wright brothers' first powered airplane flights on December 17, 1903, in the Wright Flyer. Orville Wright returned in 1911 and set a new world record for gliders, staying in the air for 10 minutes and 34 seconds. Another historic spot in the town is Sam's Diner, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

Geography

Kill Devil Hills is found on the Outer Banks, a group of barrier islands. It covers an area of 5.5 square miles, with most of it being land and a small part being water. The town is known for its warm summers and cool winters, and it gets busy with visitors during the summer because of its beautiful beaches.

The climate there is humid subtropical, meaning it has hot, sticky summers and mild winters. Cool breezes often come off the water during summer, but it can sometimes get very hot. The area can also see hurricanes, especially from June to November.

Sports

Kill Devil Hills is home to the Outer Banks Daredevils of the Tidewater Summer League, a collegiate summer baseball league. The Daredevils play at First Flight Baseball Complex on Veterans Drive in Kill Devil Hills. The team was founded in 1997 and started playing in Kill Devil Hills in 2005.

Education

Kill Devil Hills is part of Dare County Schools. Schools in the town include First Flight Elementary School and First Flight Middle School, located just south of the Monument. The town is also served by First Flight High School, which opened in 2004. Before that, students went to Manteo High School.

Some areas of Kill Devil Hills are zoned to Nags Head Elementary School instead of First Flight Elementary. School boundaries changed when Nags Head Elementary opened in 2005. The Dare County Library also has a branch in Kill Devil Hills.

Transportation

First Flight Airport (IATA: FFA, ICAO: KFFA, FAA LID: FFA) is a public airport owned by the National Park Service and located just west of Kill Devil Hills. It covers 40 acres and has one runway measuring 3,000 by 60 feet. The airport was used by the Wright brothers for early gliding tests.

Popular culture

Kill Devil Hills has appeared in several entertainment areas. In 2011, musicians Rex Brown and Vinny Appice formed a band named Kill Devil Hill. The movie Brainstorm from 1983 ended at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in the town. Monster truck driver Dennis Anderson, known for Grave Digger, lives in Kill Devil Hills, and the town’s name is featured on his truck. Also, singer Bruce Dickinson included a song called “Kill Devil Hill” on his 2005 album Tyranny of Souls, remembering the first airplane flight there.