The Moon Landing Summer: What has happening in Elmira in July 1969.

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, aboard Apollo 11, became the first astronauts to walk on the moon. Fifty-five years ago, I was nine and remember the build-up to the day.

I had just graduated 4th grade at Riverside Elementary School, and although I did not like my teacher, I did enjoy the science part of her class. We talked about space and the future, and later in my life, I recalled each of the events she predicted would happen. School ended in late June, and the spacewalk would soon occur in late July.

During early July, Camp El-Ne-Ho of the Neighborhood House, located at the Sayre-Welles Woods in Millport, had chosen the "best day campers." The Gorton Coy had culottes on sale for $10. Permanent waves were on sale at the Escompé Beauty Salon in Miller Plaza. The "Love Bug" was playing at the Elmira Theater. Janowski Gardens sold peas, bibb, curly lettuce, rhubarb, and beets in their farmstand.

The Mall, now the Arnot Mall, had its fireworks display on the evening of July 3.

On July 4, the Associated Press reported that the rehearsal for Apollo 11 was "AOK." The astronauts, rocket and spacecraft had completed the final countdown rehearsal for the trip to the moon.

I didn't find any organized July 4 activities listed in Elmira. Eldridge Park's annual fireworks had been canceled for some reason, and an elephant show replaced it.

Rossi's Bakery on Washington Avenue was closed for vacation from July 7-13. Rosenbaum's was having a dress sale. Chuck's restaurant on South Main Street advertised fish fries for 85 cents. Roy Russell's Restaurant also promoted fish fries — theirs were $1.

Seventeen glider pilots qualified in a meet at Harris Hill. Red Barn on South Main Street advertised a 15-piece bucket of chicken for $2.99.

On July 13, the Associated Press reported that "the spacemen were keyed up for a great adventure." The Pine City Firemen's Annual Pit Barbecue drew 8,000 hungry people.

On July 15, all anyone could talk about was the next day's blast-off. The Star-Gazette was selling a moon map for 50 cents. Teleprompter Cable TV offered a free detailed Moon Globe with cable TV installation in your home for the next 10 days.

Network NBC and local affiliate WSYE offered full-color coverage beginning July 16 at 6 a.m. with "coverage through the Moon landing and splashdown." Other things may have happened, but we were only interested in one thing.

On July 16, Apollo 11 lifted off at 9:32 a.m. It was all we could talk about. Now, all we had to do was wait. In the meantime, Kobacker's furniture store was holding a warehouse sale. Schwartz's ladies' wear store had a sale on bikinis. The Red Jacket restaurant on old Route 17 had old-fashioned chicken and biscuits, appetizers, salad, potato, vegetable, coffee, and dessert for $2.75. Or you could stay in town and have a Big Barney, French fries, and a Coke for 57 cents at Red Barn.

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On July 19, the Associated Press reported that the two astronauts inspected their spacecraft and found it in good shape. Some people started complaining after 30 hours of moon landing coverage on TV. They wanted regular TV. Apollo 11 entered lunar orbit at 1:22 p.m.

On July 20 at 10:56 p.m. Elmira time, Armstrong was the first person, and Aldrin was the second to walk on the moon. The flight back to Earth began on July 21.

On July 24, the Apollo 11 crew were welcomed back to their home planet at 12:50 p.m., eight days and three hours from when they left.

On July 25, Elmira and the world got back to normal.

— Elmira city historian Diane Janowski writes a monthly history column.

This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Elmira memories of the moon landing: The summer of 1969