Man who watched Neil Armstrong walk on moon as a boy spends $400,000 to save astronaut’s childhood home

As a nine-year-old in 1969, Ken Schreiber watched Neil Armstrong take his first steps on the moon—an unforgettable moment. Like Armstrong, he later became a military fighter pilot.

When Schreiber read in August that Armstrong’s boyhood home in Ohio was up for sale and discovered no one had stepped forward to protect it, he surprised himself by making an offer.

“I just thought somebody has got to step up to the plate,” Schreiber said, remembering his father’s advice to “make a mark in life.”

The transaction is set to close Monday, with the local historical society taking ownership following Schreiber’s $400,000 gift. Schreiber served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force before retiring as a pilot for American Airlines.

The Auglaize County Historical Society plans to restore the well-preserved home to its state during Armstrong’s youth, when he built model planes in the dining room and evaluated them in a basement wind tunnel he constructed.

Gerald Siesel, the historical society’s president, said the goal is to have the house ready for public tours by 2030 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Armstrong’s birth.

The two-story residence in Wapakoneta has long attracted visitors from the nearby Armstrong Air and Space Museum, though it has never been open to the public inside.

Researchers have already begun investigating what the home looked like during the 1940s while speaking with local leaders to raise funds for its renovation and maintenance, Siesel said.

“Even now when this opportunity came our way, we realized we can’t do it ourselves,” he said.

Armstrong’s family relocated frequently during his early years before settling in western Ohio during his adolescence. The property at 601 W. Benton St. held a significant place in his upbringing; he conducted experiments there, completed his first solo flight, and earned his pilot’s license at age 16.

Armstrong’s former bedroom is decorated with photos and paintings of the lunar landing, alongside autographed pictures of visiting astronauts. Exterior changes have been minimal, and the interior layout remains similar despite modern updates. The house went up for sale in August for the first time in almost 40 years.

Karen Mikesell, a retired history teacher, purchased the home in 1988 and is among only a handful of owners since Armstrong’s parents departed in the mid-1960s. Over time, she hosted nine astronauts, including Buzz Aldrin, who journeyed to the moon with Armstrong and Michael Collins in 1969.

Aldrin stepped inside the upstairs bedroom several years after Armstrong died in 2012, Mikesell recalled, “and the tears just streamed down his cheeks.”

She felt a duty to safeguard its history and to “keep it like the Armstrongs had” as much as possible. Mikesell, 82, hoped a buyer would preserve the property to inspire future generations. Schreiber initially asked friends to contribute, but ultimately donated the $400,000 on his own to help the society acquire the building.

Schreiber, raised in Dayton, roughly 60 miles (96 kilometers) south of Armstrong’s hometown, always respected him for his accomplishments, modesty, and character. Despite living so close, Schreiber had never visited the Armstrong Air and Space Museum until this summer, when he also toured the home.

“It was almost like the ghost of Neil Armstrong was there,” he said. “I could imagine him running up and down the stairs.”