Brown Arch Legacy
The original Brown Arch, built in 1971, served as the official flightline entryway at the EAA Fly-In (AirVenture). The arch became “the gateway to aviation,” a symbol of the innovation and craftsmanship brought to AirVenture each year. Those who pass under its span view the arch as the front door to their home away from home. Friends and family gather at AirVenture and the phrase, “Meet me at the Brown Arch,” is heard throughout the grounds as they spend another year together. The arch has become a tribute to AirVenture’s past and a reminder to always look to the sky knowing you have a firm foundation at Oshkosh. With the significance of the Brown Arch stretching across generations, the arch was restored and the area expanded in 2009 to allow for people to “leave their mark.”
Leaving Your Mark
The Brown Arch is surrounded by 3,000 inscribable bricks allowing you to “leave your mark” at Oshkosh. Your legacy, friends, or family will be treasured under the arch as you join the ranks of others who have carved their place in AirVenture history. Brown Arch tribute bricks are available for purchase in three options: full brick, half brick, or quarter brick. Within the overall design is a biplane* representing the beginnings of aviation and EAA’s grassroots. Four Compass Rose bricks, two flanking north and two flanking south, combine to form the biplane’s “cowling.” The center of the Compass Rose marks the distance to Kitty Hawk, the historical place where Wilbur and Orville Wright landed their first sustained flight and created the most significant development in aviation history.
*Certain bricks selections within the tribute area have limited availability.
- Whole — $1,200 (includes 11 rows of text with 30 characters per row)**
- Half — $650 (includes six rows of text with 30 characters per row)
- Quarter — $400 (includes six rows of text with 16 characters per row)
- Bi-plane wheels — $5,300 (includes 11 rows of text with 30 characters per row)**
- Bi-plane wings — $2,200 (includes 11 rows of text with 30 characters per row)**
Purchasing a brick at the $1,200 or $2,200 level lets you choose the location of your brick.
**Whole bricks have the option of adding a picture or logo for an additional $100.
*Orders need to be submitted by May 15th for AirVenture 2024 installation. All orders placed after May 15th will be installed for AirVenture 2025.
