john and annie glenn historic site

The John & Annie Glenn Historic Site in New Concord, OH (Glenns' hometown) has a superb "living history" approach. When you enter, you'll be transported back to 1944 when John Glenn was in WW II and the Glenn family was making ends meet (they had a boarder in their home.) I can't think of another museum where the homefront sacrifices of our citizens are portrayed with such reality. We heard about rationing stamps and the saving of metal, and the frugality of the times. The life of Senator Glenn and Mrs. Glenn are shown via video and displays. And New Concord (which is also the home of the late Wiliam Rainey Harper who founded the University of Chicago) is a quaint American town, located on the old National Road. New Concord is also the home of Muskingum University.

As a private pilot, as well as an aspiring and ultimately successful fighter pilot, Ben has been a hero worshipping fan of John Glenn since way before his selection to the seven original astronauts. He was an extremely accomplished aviator while Ben was still in high school, and carried on through his career piling on one difficult achievement after another.On the occasion of our visit, a very cordial receptionist welcomed us heartily, gave us a brief, concise orientation, then stepped to a door and said she would knock and the Glenns would answer. Sure enough, the door opened and a docent, who turned out to be Annie Glenn's cousin, wished us good morning and invited us into the home.The tour through which she led us was quite unlike so many others we have experienced. This is no glory ride, just the heartwarming story of the boy next door, student, athlete, and enterprising small scale entrepreneur. Largely at Glenn's insistence this entire experience was designed to be a low key homey collection. There are no 4x8 alarmed glass cases, you simply walk through the home while the leader, who styles herself in the first person as Mrs. Glenn talks about her husband, her son, life during World War II, and above all, life in this placid Midwestern town. You see where Annie did her ironing and mending and step gingerly around young John's Lionel train layout, complete with locomotive and rolling stock. Like every boy of that era, he had some pretty neat model airplanes as well. His future was formed when he opted, as a sort of tenth grade science project, to take a course in private piloting which he, of course, completed successfully.Near the end of the house tour, our guide did run through a summary of his career. Ben was truly touched to see that Col/Sen Glenn had included a tribute to his former wing man, a ballplayer named Ted Williams. Having met Teddy Ballgame in person, Ben can easily understand why this pair would have gotten along well, both being essentially self-effacing men who would not have taken themselves or each other too seriously.This attraction is quite near the National Highway and Zane Grey exhibits, and the three venues make a full and very enjoyable morning or afternoon. Do check the dates and hours before you set out. All three sport well done websites useful in planning.

Really enjoyed visiting the John & Annie Glenn's house. I learned a lot about them both. When you take the tour you are bought back to 1944. The lady tour guide donated the telegram her parents got when her brother was killed over in WWII.

My son and I were driving on the freeway nearby and saw the sign for the historic site. We are both huge fans of John and Annie Glenn so we decided to take a detour. The tour was absolutely enjoyable and the ladies operating the site that day were all very knowledgeable. I would definitely return for a second visit.

Sadly they were closed when we were in the area, but we walked around and took a few photos. It is right on main street and is very well maintained. I would certainly return during operating hours to look around and see where John Glenn grew up.

outstanding worth every minute truly a destination pointthere are 2 sites the National Road Museum and the John England historic sooner combo ticket great value

I have to admit, I did earn a lot while here. They take you on a trip through John's childhood and then onto his later life. It was a fun learning experience, yet it could be better.

Traveling through on I-70, we planned to stop here and we are so glad we did. My husband, 10 yr old son and I are big NASA/Space geeks. The admission was reasonable and the tour was really cute. We began by watching a film about John and Annie Glenn. This room also had lots of informative posters about their life.Next we went upstairs where a boarder of the Glenn house took us back in time to 1944 to show us what life was like in war time USA.Then we went to the 3rd floor with another guide to see some more memorabilia.A must see for the space fan.John Glenn is a true American Hero.

Neat little museum & historic home in New Concord. Visitor center had a nice collection of Glenn artifacts and a good retrospective film on his career and accomplishments- I learned quite a bit. The living history part of the program was unique and gives visitors an accurate look at life during World War II... although my guided tour went on a little longer than I would have liked.

While driving thru Ohio on our way to Columbus, we saw the exit sign for "John Glenn's Childhood Home". My husband and I agreed it might be fun, and it had to be interesting, so we got off the highway and headed to his home in New Concord Village. Such a pleasant surprise and a wonderful experience for both of us! The Glenn house, now a museum as well, has been kept pretty much the way it was when Glenn was a youngster and teenager in this quaint, pretty town - even the high school he attended is across the street. We watched a short film about Glenn's early life and his life with Annie, after which a young boy who was in the acting role of "young John Glenn", showed us around the house, from kitchen to parlor to bedrooms, adding bits of information about his family and his early years spent in New Concord. His renactment of the young John Glenn was very well done! There are opportunities to see many newsclippings, photos, awards, citations and various memorabilia of Glenn as an Astronaut, as a U.S. Senator, as the husband of Annie Glenn, and their busy lives together! Highly recommend a visit!

New Concord is less than 30 minutes off 77 and worth a stop to see the childhood home of John Glenn. The visit starts with a very informative film of the life of John and Annie Glenn. It helps you appreciate the couples impressive life accomplishments and the small town that gave them their start. The tour of the home is a step back into WWI times. Our tour guide was a "Muskinghum Med student boading at the home with the young John Glenn". He was entertaining as well as informative about the war efforts being done on the home front in small towns like New Concord. He gave us a very good feel of John Glenn's early years in New Concord. Even the 2 teenagers in our group enjoyed the visit. The tour including the movie took us about 1 & 1/2. It is worth the detour off 77 to see the historic route 40 and step back into time at the John and Annie Glenn site.

I had decided to leave the Interstate for a much more enjoyable pace of the Historic National Road, which took me through the Village of New Concord, where I found the John and Annie Glenn Museum. This unplanned stop allowed me to tour the boyhood home of astronaut and U. S. Senator John Glenn. The tour is based on the period of 1937-1944 with artifacts and furniture that were own by the Glenn’s. Our tour followed a large school group, but even so our guide maintain our interest and was more than willing to answer any questions that we may have had. Admission to the home is $7.00 and our tour lasted for about 40-minutes. For a spur of the moment stop, I found that this was one of the hidden gems of my Memorial Day Road Trip. The John and Annie Glenn Museum is located right on Main Street (the Old National Road) in the Village of New Concord and is well worth a stop if you find yourself in the area.

We went on a whim not expecting much. Your visit starts with a very nice and facinating video about the life of John and Annie Glenn. When you enter the house, it is like it was when John lived there as a boy and young man. We had a woman who was "John's mother". She took us through the house as if she was explaining it, about what life was like in WWII and what was going on with her son John, to a neighbor or friend, but better than any of the reinactments I have seen at other sites. We were the only ones there and it was delightful. Afterwards we went to a little coffee shop next door which had great sandwiches and drinks. A must do.

New Concord Ohio is situated on the National Road, once the main east west highway across the northern US. With the advent of I-70 New Concord is easily passed by and to some extent time has also passed the village by as well. On the main street of town you will find the John and Annie Glenn historic site. When you enter you will be greeted by a guide who represents a New Concord villager in either 1937 or 1944. Just like in Plimoth MA, they only know about that world. You are given a tour of Glenn's boyhood home and you get a unique insight into what made the John Glenn one of America's true heroes. This is not a museum filled with space suits and capsules and jet planes. This site depicts how " right stuff" was nurtured in small town USA. There is also a movie about Glenn. The site also focuses on Annie Glenn as well and the contribution that she made to the Glenn legacy. This a very unhurried pleasant experienece. The admission is $7 but there are discounts for seniors and students. While you are off the the beaten path of I 70 you might consider driving about 5 miles west on US 40 to the Zane Grey Musem, another of Muskingum County's famous sons.

We have an interest in all things space-related, so this was perfect for us. New Concord is such a pretty little college town. And the museum is very well done. There is a film about John and Annie Glenn. Then a 16-year-old John gave us a tour of his home as it would have been in the 1930's. It was fun. We combined it with the National Road/Zane Grey Museum close-by.