REMINDER: All are strongly encouraged to attend a special public hearing this THURSDAY, July 25, starting at 5 p.m. at Kent City Hall, to help designate the Apollo Lunar Rovers as Historic Landmarks!

The King County Landmarks Commission will be holding a public hearing, and residents are asked to help recognize and celebrate the Lunar Rover’s significant contribution to our local, state and national history.

As many of our Readers will recall, the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) – commonly known as the lunar rover or Moon buggy – is history’s first and only manned surface transportation system designed to operate on the Moon. At its Kent-based Space Center, the Boeing Company designed, tested, and built the four-wheeled vehicle for NASA to use in its Apollo missions of 1971-72. Designed for the transport of two astronauts, their life support systems, and scientific equipment, the LRVs allowed astronauts to spend more time and travel greater distances on the lunar surface and to collect more scientific samples than in previous missions.

But…like us, you may be wondering “how the heck can objects on the Moon be considered Historic Landmarks?”

Well, here’s one possible answer:

“It should be noted that this application builds on the precedent set by California and New Mexico, the first two states to include lunar objects and structures in their state historic registers. Both efforts involved the Apollo 11 Tranquility Base, where more than 100 objects and structures remain from the first manned exploration of the lunar surface. In 2010, the California State Historical Resources Commission and the New Mexico Cultural Properties Review Committee voted unanimously to add the many features at Tranquility Base to their respective state registers.”

And what story about our historic Lunar Rovers would be complete without a cool video?:

Here’s more from Campaign Director Michele Wilmot:

I’m thrilled to share the City of Kent and Kent Downtown Partnership have nominated the Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicles as King County Historic Landmarks! Please show your support for our nomination at a public hearing of the King County Landmarks Commission Thursday, July 25, 5 p.m., City Hall Council Chambers, 220 Fourth Ave. S. in Kent.

At its Kent-based Space Center, The Boeing Company designed, tested and built the four-wheeled vehicles used by NASA during Apollo Missions 15, 16 and 17 in 1971 and 1972.

The Rovers made possible the most ambitious scientific missions of the Apollo Program, enabling astronauts to travel much greater distances and conduct more experiments, all which contributed greatly to our current understanding of lunar evolutionary history. Three Lunar Rovers remain on the Moon.

The fact neither King County, nor our state, has ever named objects on the Moon as landmarks makes this a particularly exciting and unique way to honor our region’s role in NASA’s historic Apollo Program.

We expect the Landmarks Commission will make their decision that evening, so your presence and testimony will be extremely valuable.

Whether by letter, email, or in-person testimony, I’d appreciate your support in recognizing this significant history. If you haven’t done so already, a sample letter to advocate for this nomination is attached. Please feel free to customize as appropriate Mand send as soon as possible.

And, if your schedule allows, I’d love to see the Council Chambers full of Lunar Rover alumni and enthusiasts July 25. A reception will follow immediately after.

Whether you submit a letter or provide testimony at the hearing, your help designating the Apollo Lunar Rovers as Historic Landmarks is appreciated immensely. Thank you!

Michelle Wilmot
Campaign Director
Phone: 253.856.5709
Cell: 253.275.7542
[email protected]

For more info, click here: apollolunarrover.com

Kent City Hall is located at 220 4th Ave S.:

Scott Schaefer

Founder/Publisher/Editor. Three-time National Emmy Award winning Writer (“Bill Nye the Science Guy”), Director, Producer, Journalist and more...