Owned by a retired history teacher devoted to preserving its past and charming character, the home is for sale for the first time in nearly 40 years. What will become of it remains uncertain.
... Today, Armstrong's two-story boyhood home is an occasional stop for visitors to the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, even though the house itself isn't open for tours.
When Karen Mikesell bought the place in 1988, she had no idea who once lived there until another teacher soon told her.
... The house on Benton Street with its big front porch has changed little on the outside. Inside, the layout is similar too, though it has been updated.
In the backyard, a garage that Armstrong and his father built with scrap lumber still stands, though a chicken coop where he and his friends gathered for Boy Scout meetings is long gone.
...Mikesell, who's 82, said she hopes someone might be willing to buy the house and donate it to the Armstrong museum, which doesn't have the funds to acquire the property, according to Logan Rex, its spokesperson.
While the house, which is listed at $430,000, isn't legally protected from alteration, Mikesell is also optimistic that the new owners will respect it — whether it remains a private residence or becomes a place for overnight stays.
posted 08-05-2026 08:31 PM
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