neil's crash pad
Neil Armstrong's midcentury home rockets onto market in historic Clear Lake area
After legendary American astronaut Neil Armstrong took his historic steps on the moon in 1969, he returned to Earth, made a whirlwind world publicity tour, and then came home to his house in El Lago, Texas. Now, his Clear Lake abode is available to real estate and space enthusiasts.
Located in a quiet neighborhood that’s rich in space history, Armstrong’s house sits on a more than 17,000-square-foot lot on 1003 Woodland Dr. The home, built in 1964, is on sale for $375,000 and is offered by Lance Loken of the Loken Group, according to this HAR listing.
When he wasn’t blasting off into the great beyond, Armstrong lived in the 2,560-square-foot home during the time of the iconic Gemini and Apollo missions. The midcentury four-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom property boasts high ceilings, a recently replaced 5-tab roof, luxury vinyl plank flooring, and a decked attic. The primary suite is replete with a walk-in closet, dual vanities, and a whirlpool tub/shower
The kitchen is perhaps the centerpiece of the abode, featuring quartz countertops, a mosaic backsplash, glass-fronted cabinets, a 5-burner commercial gas range, a water purifier, and a breakfast bar. One wonders what was discussed in the great room, which is marked by a stone façade, beamed vaulted ceiling, and tile flooring. And surely Armstrong had his NASA buddies over for a backyard get-together, where the space aces enjoyed a large pool.
Fans of America’s space race will no doubt recognize the names associated with the El Lago neighborhood. Besides Armstrong, the area was also home to Buzz Aldrin, the lunar module pilot on the 1969 Apollo 11 mission and the second person to walk on the moon; Jim Lovell, the command module pilot of Apollo 8 and one of the first three humans to fly to and orbit the Moon in the Apollo 13 mission; and Peggy Whitson, who in 2017 became the first female astronaut to command the International Space Station — according to the neighborhood’s Astronaut Wall of Fame.