Neil Armstrong’s orphanage saved by a donation of 3.8 cr. Today’s news
Neil Armstrong’s childhood home in Ohio has been acquired by a local historical society following a $400,000 donation from retired pilot Ken Schreiber, paving the way for plans to preserve the property and open it to visitors.
Schreiber was nine years old when Armstrong took his first steps on the moon in 1969. He later became a military fighter pilot himself. After reading in August that Armstrong’s boyhood home was for sale and learning that no one had come forward to preserve it, Schreiber decided to make an offer, the AP reported.
The sale was finalized Monday, and his donation allowed the Auglaize County Historical Society to take ownership.
“I just thought somebody had to step up,” said Schreiber, who spent 20 years in the U.S. Air Force before retiring as a pilot with American Airlines. He remembered his father’s advice to “make a mark in life.”
Neil Armstrong’s former home stands on Friday, July 31, 2026, in Wapakoneta, Ohio. (AP Photo/Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos)(AP Photo/Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos)Read also | Have you fallen for a fake WhatsApp trading app or stock tip? What to do immediately?
Neil Armstrong’s childhood home could open to tourists by 2030
The Auglaize County Historical Society plans to restore the two-story house in Wapakoneta, Ohio, to the way it looked during Armstrong’s childhood. The goal is to open the facility for public tours by 2030, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the astronaut’s birth.
Gerald Siesel, president of the historical society, said the organization began researching the 1940s appearance of the house and is in discussions with community leaders about raising funds to finance its renovation and maintenance, the AP reported.
“Even now that we’ve had this opportunity, we’ve realized that we can’t do it alone,” he said.
The house has long attracted visitors to the nearby Armstrong Air and Space Museum who are curious about the astronaut’s early life, but it has never been open to the public.
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How Armstrong’s Childhood Home Shaped His Early Years
The property is located at 601 W. Benton St. and played an important role in Armstrong’s formative years. His family moved several times during his childhood before settling in western Ohio when he was a teenager.
At the house, Armstrong built model airplanes in the dining room and tested them in a wind tunnel he built in the basement. He also conducted experiments there, made his first solo flight and obtained his pilot’s license at the age of 16.
The house has retained much of its exterior appearance, while its interior layout remains similar despite the updates. Armstrong’s former bedroom now contains photographs and paintings of the moon landing, along with autographed photos of visiting astronauts.
Why the house needed a new owner
The property went up for sale in August for the first time in nearly 40 years. Karen Mikesell, a retired history teacher, bought the house in 1988 and has been among several owners since Armstrong’s parents moved out in the mid-1960s.
Over the years, Mikesell has hosted nine astronauts, including Buzz Aldrin, who traveled to the moon with Armstrong and Michael Collins in 1969.
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Recalling Aldrin’s visit to Armstrong’s upstairs bedroom several years after Armstrong died in 2012, Mikesell said, “and tears were streaming down his face.”
Mikesell, 82, said she feels responsible for protecting the property’s history and wants to “keep it as Armstrong as possible” as much as possible. She hoped the new owner would preserve the house and help inspire future generations.
Schreiber first asked friends to contribute to the purchase, but eventually donated $400,000 himself to help the historical society acquire the property.
Tribute to retired pilot Neil Armstrong
Schreiber grew up in Dayton, about 60 miles (96 kilometers) south of Armstrong’s hometown. He said he had long admired Armstrong for his achievements, modesty and character.
Although he lived relatively close to Wapakoneta, Schreiber didn’t visit the Armstrong Air and Space Museum until this summer, when he also toured the orphanage.
“It was almost like Neil Armstrong’s ghost was there,” he said. “I can imagine him running up and down the stairs.
The acquisition gives the historical society an opportunity to preserve property associated with Armstrong’s early life. However, restoration work, fundraising and maintenance remain part of the plan before the house can welcome public visitors.