Neil Armstrong inspired him as a boy. 57 years later, he spent $400,000 to save the astronaut’s childhood home
The two-storey Ohio home played an important role in Armstrong’s early life and could open to visitors by 2030.
- Oct 26, 2026,
- Updated Oct 26, 2026 5:00 AM IST
Neil Armstrong’s childhood home in Ohio has been saved from being lost to private ownership after former fighter pilot Ken Schreiber donated $400,000 to help a local historical society buy it, AP reported.
Schreiber was 9 when Armstrong took his first steps on the moon in 1969. Decades later, the moment inspired him to step in and help preserve the house where the first person to walk on the moon spent an important part of his childhood.
The sale was completed on Monday, with the Auglaize County Historical Society taking ownership of the home in Wapakoneta, Ohio.
Schreiber wanted to preserve Armstrong's legacy
Schreiber, who spent 20 years in the US Air Force and later retired as a pilot with American Airlines, came across a story in August saying Armstrong’s boyhood home was up for sale.
He later learned that no one had come forward to preserve the property. That prompted him to make an offer.
“I just thought somebody has got to step up to the plate,” Schreiber said. He also remembered his father’s advice to “make a mark in life.”
The historical society now plans to restore the two-storey house to how it looked during Armstrong’s boyhood.
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The house where Armstrong built model planes
The house at 601 W. Benton St. played an important role in Armstrong’s early years. He built model planes in the dining room and tested them in a basement wind tunnel he created.
He also made his first solo flight and earned his pilot’s licence at 16.
The house has never been open to the public, although it has long been a stop for visitors to the Armstrong Air and Space Museum. The historical society hopes to open it for tours by 2030, the 100th anniversary of Armstrong’s birth.
The group has already started researching how the house looked in the 1940s and is speaking with community leaders about raising money for its renovation and upkeep.
“Even now when this opportunity came our way, we realized we can’t do it ourselves,” said Gerald Siesel, president of the historical society.
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'It was almost like the ghost of Neil Armstrong was there'
Karen Mikesell, a retired history teacher, bought the house in 1988. She hosted nine astronauts there over the years, including Buzz Aldrin.
Aldrin visited Armstrong’s old bedroom a few years after Armstrong died in 2012. Mikesell recalled that “the tears just streamed down his cheeks.”
Schreiber, who grew up in Dayton, about 60 miles (96 kilometers) south of Wapakoneta, had always admired Armstrong.
After touring the house this summer, he said, “It was almost like the ghost of Neil Armstrong was there. I could imagine him running up and down the stairs.”
Neil Armstrong’s childhood home in Ohio has been saved from being lost to private ownership after former fighter pilot Ken Schreiber donated $400,000 to help a local historical society buy it, AP reported.
Schreiber was 9 when Armstrong took his first steps on the moon in 1969. Decades later, the moment inspired him to step in and help preserve the house where the first person to walk on the moon spent an important part of his childhood.
The sale was completed on Monday, with the Auglaize County Historical Society taking ownership of the home in Wapakoneta, Ohio.
Schreiber wanted to preserve Armstrong's legacy
Schreiber, who spent 20 years in the US Air Force and later retired as a pilot with American Airlines, came across a story in August saying Armstrong’s boyhood home was up for sale.
He later learned that no one had come forward to preserve the property. That prompted him to make an offer.
“I just thought somebody has got to step up to the plate,” Schreiber said. He also remembered his father’s advice to “make a mark in life.”
The historical society now plans to restore the two-storey house to how it looked during Armstrong’s boyhood.
Don't Miss: Marilyn Monroe’s ‘Doll House’ in Palm Springs sells for $2.81 million
The house where Armstrong built model planes
The house at 601 W. Benton St. played an important role in Armstrong’s early years. He built model planes in the dining room and tested them in a basement wind tunnel he created.
He also made his first solo flight and earned his pilot’s licence at 16.
The house has never been open to the public, although it has long been a stop for visitors to the Armstrong Air and Space Museum. The historical society hopes to open it for tours by 2030, the 100th anniversary of Armstrong’s birth.
The group has already started researching how the house looked in the 1940s and is speaking with community leaders about raising money for its renovation and upkeep.
“Even now when this opportunity came our way, we realized we can’t do it ourselves,” said Gerald Siesel, president of the historical society.
Must Read: Diwali homebuying: Should you buy a home this festive season or wait? Check before you decide
'It was almost like the ghost of Neil Armstrong was there'
Karen Mikesell, a retired history teacher, bought the house in 1988. She hosted nine astronauts there over the years, including Buzz Aldrin.
Aldrin visited Armstrong’s old bedroom a few years after Armstrong died in 2012. Mikesell recalled that “the tears just streamed down his cheeks.”
Schreiber, who grew up in Dayton, about 60 miles (96 kilometers) south of Wapakoneta, had always admired Armstrong.
After touring the house this summer, he said, “It was almost like the ghost of Neil Armstrong was there. I could imagine him running up and down the stairs.”