Newsletters

Neil Armstrong’s Former Home in Texas Is Full of Mid-Century Charm

Megan Johnson
Megan Johnson
Megan Johnson is a reporter in Boston. She got her start at the Boston Herald, where commenters would leave sweet messages like “Megan Johnson is just awful.” Now, she's a contributor to publications like People Magazine, Trulia and Architectural Digest.
published Jul 10, 2020
comments
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
See More Images
Credit: Courtesy of Realtor.com
1 / 14

It’s not just Chip and Joanna Gaines who’ve made their mark on Texas real estate. In El Lago, about 30 miles outside of Houston and just a short drive from NASA’s Johnson Space Center, you can snag the mid-century home that served as home base to astronaut Neil Armstrong during the famed Gemini and Apollo missions, Realtor.com reports. It’s not walking on the moon, but reasonably priced real estate is nothing to sneeze at. 

Listed at $375,000, the four-bed, two-and-a-half bath brick and wood home was built in 1964, just a few years before Armstrong headed into space. Measuring 2,560 square square feet, it features plenty of mid-century charm, as well as high ceilings, a brand new roof, and a sprawling, grassy yard. Step inside to the great room, where a stone facade and fireplace sit under a beamed vaulted ceiling, while oversized windows stream in natural light. (You can almost imagine Armstrong and fellow astronaut/El Lago resident Buzz Aldrin having a chat by the fire.)

In the spacious updated kitchen, quartz countertops, a mosaic backsplash, glass-fronted cabinets, and a 5-burner commercial gas range sit opposite the breakfast bar, perfect for busy families. Continue on into the adjacent dining room, a spacious area that’s ideal for hosting dinner parties, and opens out to the patio. The spa-like primary suite features a walk-in closet, dual vanities, and a whirlpool tub/shower. There’s also an office, decked attic, and multi-space garage.

Outside, the property has plenty of curl appeal. A sparkling swimming pool sits next to the pergola patio, the perfect spot to sip a sweet tea. With a flat, sun drenched backyard, kids and adults alike will love lounging in the outdoor space, perfect for barbecues, pool parties, and just enjoying the Texas sunshine.

Armstrong and his family took off for Ohio in the ’70s, but the family certainly left their mark on the town of El Lago. (There’s even an Armstrong Park in his honor.) Since then, the home has been sold a couple times, but the most recent owners have had the place for 22 years. While Armstrong passed away in 2012, his legacy lives on. You may have caught a look at his former home in “First Man,” the Armstrong biopic starring Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy. But alas: it turns out that was just a replica built in Georgia as a set, realtor.com reports. 

Filed in:
News