With the recent announcement by NASA that the United States will resume missions to the moon, it’s a good time to recall the first moon landing in 1969. Apollo was front and center regarding celebrations surrounding the exciting event. The borough is the only municipality in the country that shares the same name as the lunar mission. The Apollo 11 moon landing took place on Sunday, July 20, 1969. Apollo originally had planned a parade for several days later when the Apollo 11 astronauts were scheduled to splash down. But the day the mission began — Thursday, July 17 — then-President Richard Nixon declared Monday, July 21, to be a National Day of Participation. Post offices were closed, and then-Pennsylvania Gov. Raymond P. Shafer requested all state offices, including government offices and summer schools, be closed. Oakmont High School, for one, kept its summer school in session, saying teachers were instructed "to discuss the significance of the moon landing.” Apollo Mayor Duane S. Gutherie sent Nixon a telegram proclaiming his community’s pride and the fact that he made astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins honorary citizens of the Armstrong County borough. Eleven drum and bugle corps units accepted invitations, and numerous fire departments committed to the parade. Americans closely watched the almost around-the-clock coverage of the journey as the spaceship flew at a speed of 2,309 mph. At the same time, a Russian robot was scheduled to scoop some lunar dirt then head back to the Soviet Union, giving Communist Party officials a final chance at beating the U.S. to the moon. As many as a billion people around the world watched the live telecast of the moon landing and subsequent descent onto the moon’s surface, where Armstrong proclaimed, "That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” During the telecast, the streets of Apollo were as barren as the moon’s surface. News assistant Robert Fryer of the Valley Daily News, stationed in Apollo, reported shoppers running into stores to pick up items and return home for the moonwalk. He reported William Ray of Shady Plain dropped off his wife in front of a North Warren Avenue grocery store and waited with his engine running to get a fast start home. Forty marching units and fire companies showed up for the parade, including one from Moon Township. Apollo had sent a fire unit to Moon’s parade the night before. A square dance at North Second Street and Warren Avenue followed the parade. Apollo Borough and the Apollo-Ridge School District, then based in downtown Apollo, delayed their meetings until Tuesday. Residents celebrated in their own way. Dr. August Pugliese of Allegheny Township set off fireworks in his yard that could be seen for miles. The excitement continued for days. As splashdown plans continued, it was discovered that an extraordinary amount of sharks were in the splashdown area of the Pacific Ocean. This prompted officials on the USS Hornet to launch a 26-foot wooden whaleboat with armed sailors to protect the splashdown area. But the sailors were concerned that shooting a shark would create a bloody scene and a feeding frenzy in the area. None of the three Apollo 11 astronauts ever made it to Apollo. However, astronaut Ronald Evans Jr., who was the command module pilot of the final Apollo 17 moon mission in 1972, appeared at the moon landing celebration in 1973. The annual moon landing celebration was an Apollo staple for nearly 50 years. George Guido is a Tribune-Review contributing writer. and help us continue covering the stories that matter to you and your community.