A famous Henry County birthday was observed this week. Wilbur Wright was born April 16, 1867, near Millville in Henry County, a son of Milton and Susan Catherine Koerner Wright.

Our Facebook post about Wilbur’s birthday drew this insightful response from Rex Bell, known for his witty and insightful columns in area newspapers.

Happy 158th Birthday to one of Millville’s favorite sons, Wilbur Wright. He was born about a mile from where I was raised, but a few years earlier. This is something I wrote on the 100th anniversary of powered flight 20 years ago…

As we prepare to celebrate the 100th anniversary of powered flight this year, I think we can all be thankful that one of Indiana’s favorite sons, Mr. Wilbur Wright, lived in the era that he did. Can you imagine the hurdles that he and brother Orville would have to face today if they decided to invent the airplane?

It would take years for the EPA to complete it’s study on the effects of powered flight on the migratory habits of Monarch butterflies and Canadian Geese, and it’s a safe bet the Department of Homeland Security and the DEA would have some questions concerning the intended uses of such a machine.

Building an airplane in a shop that had only been approved for work on bicycles would surely throw OSHA inspectors into a tizzy, and the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission would no doubt take a dim view of the fact that the boys built the plane while Catherine stayed home.

And, if by some miracle the Wrights did manage to receive FAA approval to launch a flying machine constructed of wood and cloth, we can rest assured they would still be circling and holding while the commissioners and their neighbors debated on whether a landing strip violated proper land use and zoning requirements.

Timing is everything.

THANKS REX! FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WILBUR WRIGHT, VISIT US AT www.henrycountymuseum.org
We’re open anytime by appointment. Please call 765-524-0530. Also, please visit our Henry County historical partners at the Wilbur Wright Birthplace Museum at wwbirthplace.com, which features a replica plane the Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk, N.C. and many other interesting exhibits.