Armstrong Air & Space Museum

Armstrong Air & Space Museum
Wapakoneta, Ohio

Where were you July 20, 1969? If you are old enough to remember this date then you were probably glued to the television fantasizing about walking on the moon yourself. If this is before you were born you may take the act of walking on the moon as something not that amazing. This museum shows the awe the world felt when Neil Armstrong placed his left foot on the surface of the moon.

Neil Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio and the museum details his story alongside the history of man’s advent into space. Armstrong was one of the first civilian astronauts in the US space program and was the commander of Apollo 11 – the mission that put the first man on the moon.

Joining me on this trip was a family with a six-year-old and a two-year-old. The six-year-old has an interest in space and stars so the museum was fascinating for him. He loved the hands on opportunities and listened to his father explain how the astronauts did their jobs. The two-year-old had a shorter attention span, but she enjoyed the hands-on displays and loved walking around the museum.

The first part of the museum consists of displays on the early days of the space program. On exhibit are spacecraft, tools and even food that was developed. In addition to the equipment and scientific achievements are photos and brief bios of the astronauts during this time.

At the end of this section of the museum, there is a tunnel that leads into the theater. There is a chance to rest in comfortable theater seats where a multi-media presentation is shown every half-hour. The movie we saw was of the original Apollo 11 moon landing and its impact.




Upon exiting the theater there is more museum, but this shows more recent accomplishments with the space shuttle and space stations. There is another display of the food astronauts take with them now – including Pepsi and Coke! Can the children compare the food of the early astronauts to the food now used? Which would they rather eat?

The museum contains models of spacecraft, some of which children can go in and play at being the astronaut on a mission. There is an actual Gemini space capsule flown by Neil Armstrong on display.

The children enjoyed working spacecraft controls and using the tools in the displays. Use the weight machine and compare your earth weight to what you weigh on the moon. The 6-year-old found his earth weight of 50 pounds would be 8 on the Moon and 20 on Mars.

The museum does a fine job of showing the history of the space program and showing how Ohio contributed. Most people know how Florida, Alabama and Texas are important to the space program, but several astronauts and technology research has been from Ohio. This museum will be interesting to anyone of school age and up. Even the toddler that went with me enjoyed herself. Maybe this will be the stimulus that gets her interested in becoming the first woman to walk on the moon?
Upcoming Exhibits and Events –
Please check the OHS calendar at http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/calendar/




Age Appropriateness –
Young Children –medium-low
School Age Children –medium-high
Teens – high
Adults – high
Senior Friendly – high


Physical vs. Mental –
This is a museum that will excite your thinking on space travel.

Time to Allow for Visit –
Allow an hour to tour the museum and an additional 20 minutes for the multi-media presentation in the theater.


Additional Information –
Gift Shop – There is an extensive gift shop with toys and several books of space interest.
Food – no
Picnic – There are a few picnic tables scattered outside the museum.
Multilingual – no



Approximate Travel Times –
Cincinnati – 1 ¾ hours
Cleveland – 3 hours
Columbus – 1 ½ hours

Handicapped Accessibility –
The museum is completely accessible.

Volunteer Opportunities –
If interested please contact R. Macwhinney at 1-800- 860-0142.











Helpful links:
http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/places/nw01/
http://visitnaha.com/armstrong.htm
http://www.artcom.com/Museums/vs/mr/45895.htm
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/whos_who_level2/armstrong.html
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/bios/neilabio.html
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/apollo11/

John Rankin House

John Rankin House
Ripley, Ohio

Imagine all the abolitionists meeting in this house. Who visited? What strength did the runaways need in order to escape to Rankin House along the Underground Railroad? In what way did this affect the movement to free all slaves? How much did this one family of a father, a mother and 13 children affect the lives of runaway slaves and so many others? These are the questions to ponder while learning what happened in this house.

The house was built in 1828 by John Rankin, a Presbyterian minister and leading abolitionist. Here he and his wife, Jean Lowry, raised 13 of their own children in addition to raising other children that came to live with them.

In the 21st century slavery of any human is accepted as a terrible wrong. In the first half of the 19th century many people in the United States – white people particularly -- accepted it as a valid business practice. Promoting social change was as hard then as it is today, and attempting to change social perception leads to persecution. How did John Rankin make this commitment? He received many death threats for him and his family because several powerful people in the South wanted him silenced. If caught harboring runaway slaves he could have been arrested and heavily fined. Why did he risk not only his own safety, but the safety of his family as well? He made a powerful commitment.

The Rankin family and the citizens of Ripley, Ohio are credited with helping 2000 slaves escape. Before the current dams changed the depth of the Ohio River, the narrowest part of the river along Kentucky, a slave state, was across from Ripley. Runaways could cross from the South to freedom in the North. A long stairway leads from the town to the Rankin house on the hill. After crossing the river the runaways would climb the hill to the Rankin farm. A lantern being lit in a second story window would signify that it was safe for them to approach.

Runaway slaves were probably not hidden inside the house but in barns and in the woods on the Rankin property. If looking for the actual hiding places, they are not on display.

The significance of Rankin House is also seen by its influence on one of the most important writings promoting abolition. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin made the issue of slavery more relevant to the North. She and her husband lived in Cincinnati, Ohio where John Rankin’s stories of the slaves crossing the river inspired the character of Liza in the book.

In the Cincinnati Underground Railroad Museum, there is a movie that dramatizes what life might have been like at the Rankin House. The film, following a slave’s escape along the Underground, was filmed at the Rankin House. During our visit the interpreter indicated that the Underground Railroad Museum provided more displays and information for any interested in how that system worked. The link to their site is provided below.

On display in the home are the Rankin Family Bible, their Presbyterian Hymnal and a few furnishings that are original to the family. These are labeled and can be viewed during the tour. The home is furnished with period pieces including a piano made at a company in Ripley, Ohio.

The home sits on top of a hill over the town of Ripley. From here is an awesome view of the Ohio River and its bends between the states of Ohio and Kentucky.

Also in Ripley the Parker House is open for tours. John Parker was a former slave who bought his freedom. He was a Ripley businessman and actively helped slaves escape via the Underground Railroad. While in Ripley a tour of this home should be on the agenda.

The town of Ripley has a small town feel to it. The downtown itself is somewhat old-fashioned containing restaurants, antique shops and bars making it a nice place to take a stroll and have lunch. At a memorial by the river are two memory boxes to be opened in 2012 and in 2065.

It was recently announced that the Rankin House will be renovated including an improved parking lot and new visitor’s center. This should improve the experience as people learn about the underground railroad and its history in Ripley.


Age Appropriateness –
Young Children –medium-low
School Age Children –medium-high
Teens –medium-high
Adults –medium-high
Senior Friendly – medium-high

Physical vs. Mental –
The home is a museum with an interpreter. Reading is not required so children can enjoy the tour.

Time to Allow for Visit –
A half-hour is ample time to tour the home.



Additional Information –
Gift Shop – yes
Food – no
Picnic – no
Multilingual – no

Approximate Travel Times –
Cincinnati – 1 ¼ hours
Cleveland – 4 ½ hours
Columbus – 2 ¼ hours

Handicapped Accessibility –

The two rooms upstairs are only accessible by a stairway so this would not be wheel chair accessible. The downstairs is accessible.

Helpful links:

http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/places/sw14/
http://www.ripleyohio.net/htm/rankin.htm
http://www.ohiohistory.org/undergroundrr/
http://www.freedomcenter.org/
http://www.johnparkerhouse.org/
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/magazine/sprsum96/undergrr/tabid/299/Default.aspx
http://www.ripleyohio.net/index.html

Zane Grey / National Road Museum

Zane Grey / National Road Museum
Norwich, Ohio

The museum, located east of Zanesville, Ohio, is really three museums in one. The National Road Museum uses a diorama to show the history of building the historic road. The Zane Grey Museum contains personal items belonging to Zane Grey during his life. The Pottery Museum shows the types of pottery that made the area famous one hundred years ago. The varied topics contained in the one site provide an eclectic combination.

President Thomas Jefferson approved construction of a National Road in 1806 to provide better access to what was the then the western United States. Construction began in 1811 in Cumberland, Maryland with construction ending in 1839 with the road terminating at Vandalia, Illinois. By 1840 the railroads were providing transportation to points west so Congress voted against funding the effort to complete the project to go further west. Today the National Road is part of US Highway 40.

The National Road Museum contains various vehicles used to travel the road that should entertain antique auto enthusiasts. If taking children, ask them if the entire family’s belongings would fit in the Conestoga wagon that is on display. Which items would they take with them on a trip to move across the country?

If there are school age children in the group, the trip can be made more fun by printing the puzzle at http://www.ohiohistoryteachers.org/03/05/se03tc.pdf. Can they find the answers to this puzzle in the National Road exhibit?

The exhibit with which I was most impressed is a diorama that details the construction of the road. It is quite detailed and very well done. Look carefully at what the figures are doing. Presented in a timeline fashion, each step in the diorama shows how life on the road and the roadwork techniques changed in the construction from Maryland to Illinois.

The second major exhibit at this site is the Zane Grey Museum. In 1872 Zane Grey was born in Zanesville which was established by his ancestor Ebenezer Zane. Although his interests were in baseball, fishing and writing, his father convinced him to get a degree in dentistry. The lure of the outdoors won out, and his life was spent taking frequent excursions which provided the information for writing his more than 90 books on adventures in the west.

The Zane Grey portion of the museum contains mementos from his life in Ohio, Pennsylvania and California. This includes a re-creation of his study including his personal items. People who enjoy his novels will learn about his life and what inspired his many novels.

The third part of the museum displays pieces of pottery from the area. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s this area of Ohio was known for its pottery. The museum does not give a history of pottery-making, but it displays pieces with brief descriptions of the people involved.

Overall the museum is interesting, but the exhibits are a mish-mash of their various topics. Personally I enjoyed the National Road exhibits best. This is probably due to my father’s interest in transportation history providing me with a background of knowledge. From how the road was built to the various vehicles on display, anyone with an interest in transportation will enjoy this museum.


Upcoming Exhibits and Events –

• October 18, 2008

Wandering along the National Road Road Rally -- Try your skills at this car rally along the National Road and surrounding area. The road rally will test your skill at finding both natural and man-made points of interests to match the clues. Teams are encouraged and the winner will be recognized. It will be a great way to discover the area's fall season and learn more about the National Road. For reservations, call 740.872.3143 or 800.752.2602.



Age Appropriateness –
Young Children –medium-low
School Age Children –medium-high
Teens –medium
Adults –medium-high
Senior Friendly –high




Physical vs. Mental –
This is completely a museum experience with no physical limitations.











Time to Allow for Visit –
¾ hour to tour entire museum


Additional Information –
Gift Shop – yes
Food – no
Picnic – no
Multilingual – no





Approximate Travel Times –
Cincinnati – 2 ¾ hours
Cleveland – 2 ½ hours
Columbus – 1 hour

Handicapped Accessibility –

This one-story museum is completely accessible.



Volunteer Opportunities –

If interested please contact M. E. Weingartner at 1-800-752-2602.


Helpful links:

http://www.ohiohistory.org/places/natlroad/
http://www.route40.net/history/national-road.shtml
http://www.nationalroadohio.com/
http://www.ohiohistory.org/about/nrtg/
http://www.ohiohistoryteachers.org/03/05/se03tc.pdf
http://www.zanegreyinc.com/
http://www.wisconsinpottery.org/Roseville/
http://wisconsinpottery.org/Weller/weller2001show/weller2001exhibit.htm
http://www.coz.org/
http://www.zanesville.org/