The John and Annie Glenn Museum

The John & Annie Glenn Historic Site, which opened in 2002, uses John’s boyhood home to teach 20^th Century American History.  The highlight of the tour is the living history presentation on the main floor.  An actor in costume greets visitors at the door and leads them through as though it is the day they are visiting, only in 1944.  Characters in the home include Glenn’s parents, Clara and Herschel, college students who room there, and a fifteen-year old neighbor boy.  Visitors experience life on the home front during World War II and learn about the sacrifices being made to help with the war effort.  This is a nostalgic trip back in time for some, but for children it’s a great history lesson.

Visitors also enjoy a guided tour of the upstairs where they see John’s bedroom, which looks like it did when he lived there as a boy and a toy room, which has some of his own childhood treasures such as his train and tricycle.  Other displays include a model of the Friendship 7space capsule in which John became the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962, the jumpsuit he wore after climbing out of the capsule, some of his military uniforms and lots of other memorabilia.

Tours begin with a 20-minute award-winning introductory movie. The entire tour takes about an hour (1 ½ hours for large groups).

A visit to the John & Annie Glenn Historic Site makes an excellent field trip for school groups.  Arrangements can also be made to tour nearby Harper Cabin.  This home, built in 1834, is the birthplace of William Rainey Harper who graduated from New Concord’s Muskingum College at the age of 14 and founded The University of Chicago in 1891.  The village, which is located along the National Road, is also home to a beautifully renovated “S” Bridge, which is part of a small park.  If time and weather permits, students may also participate in old-fashioned games.  Groups may choose to bring a sack lunch or they can order a John Glenn boyhood or astronaut lunch.  With the National Road/Zane Grey Museum only a few miles away, students can experience a full day of history along the National Road.

The Historic Site also offers dinner or luncheon tours for groups of up to 30, which have proven to be very popular.  Please call for more information.  

The John and Annie Glenn Historic Site is just north of Interstate 70 in New Concord, Ohio (about an hour east of Columbus).