Armstrong parade footage shared on Facebook

The Auglaize County Historical Society, a proud partner of the First on the Moon committee, is pleased to announce a special surprise in honor of Sunday’s 51st Anniversary of the Neil Armstrong Homecoming Parade, the premiere of recently re-discovered footage of this event. The Historical Society will post the link to this now digitized footage on its Facebook page (Facebook.com/AuglaizeCountyHistory) as well as the First on the Moon Facebook page, as of 7 pm Sunday, September 6. All are invited to spend a few minutes enjoying several highlights of the parade.

The Historical Society was recently given two small rolls of 8 mm film, which a Dayton donor had purchased years ago on eBay. The donor had not been able to view the footage, but understood it to be of the 1969 parade.

Historical Society administrator Rachel Barber contacted Doug Spencer about digitizing the footage. Spencer worked tirelessly to ensure that the film was available in time for broadcast on the 51st parade anniversary, for which the Historical Society extends its sincere gratitude. States Barber, “The Historical Society and First on the Moon are happy to able to present this fun, historic look at 51 years ago in the life of Wapakoneta, our county, and the nation.”

The footage at the very beginning of the 7-minute film is taken in a home, and appears to be images of the family members who then attended the

Homecoming Parade. The family is currently unknown, and the Historical Society appreciates any assistance in identification. The film then jumps to a spot on Willipie Street just north of Pearl, now the county parking lot, from which the parade footage is shot.

September 6, 1969, was Homecoming Day in Wapakoneta, Ohio, a celebration for the first person to walk on the moon, the community’s own Neil Armstrong. This event would be the biggest in Wapakoneta’s history.

“More than five hundred police officers were brought in. Service stations ran out of gasoline. A local movie theatre stayed open all night free of charge to give visitors a place to rest. With Bob Hope serving as the parade’s grand marshal, the arriving crowd number in excess of ten times that of the town’s normal 7,000 population .... The small, town was wrapped almost entirely in red, white, and blue bunting. Streets along the parade route were renamed for their favorite son--’Lift-Off Lane,’ ‘Apollo Drive,’ ‘Eagle Boulevard’ .... ” --First Man, by James Hansen

The dawned sunny and hot. But the Homecoming did not disappoint the throngs that flanked Auglaize Street to view the parade and then filled the grandstands at the fairgrounds to hear Neil speak.

First on the Moon enhances public understanding of and appreciation for Wapakoneta, Ohio’s, unique identity as the home of Neil A. Armstrong. first person to walk on the moon.

On July 18, 2020, a motorcycle poker run was put on by the Wendelin Sports Club to benefit the Center for Neurological Development in Burkettsville. 149 motorcycles with 201 riders were there to support the center. A raffle drawing was also held to give away a 2020 Harley Davidson Street Glide, the winner was Matt Barga from Miamisburg. A donation of $22,480.86 was made to the Neurological Center from the poker run and raffle drawing. The Wendelin Sports Club also made an additional donation of $3,000 to the Center. Thank you to everyone who helped to make the raffle drawing and poker run a huge success, especially Niekamp Farm and Flea Market, Doll Printing, St, Henry Tile and Cooper Farms. Plans are currently being made for another Harley raffle and poker run to be held on the third Saturday of July next year.

A few scenes from the gathering for the Minster Knights of Columbus recent 100th Anniversary celebration.