So, I got to do the headline story for the Virginia Gazette and Daily Press for the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the moon... and I came upon a DOOZIE of a what if a lot of folks have been overlooking about early NASA history.
Specifically, a lot of folks I spoke with talked about how prior to LBJ sticking his thumb on the scale for Houston, NASA was largely run out of Langley in Virginia - and both due to the thriving local aerospace industry and the region's proximity to DC, there was a lot of thought that NASA's presence in the region would only grow larger.
Hell, one of the people I interviewed, who worked for NASA at the time, literally said "Were it not for LBJ, Hampton Roads, not Houston, would have been Space City." Even said Nixon winning in 60 would have done that!
So how's THAT for an interesting little US History chestnut - all those jobs and billions of dollars that, instead of going to Houston, Texas, eventually helping it grow to be the fourth-largest city in America, go to Hampton Roads, Virginia.
Think of the impact that could have had on the development of both Texas and Virginia!
Specifically, a lot of folks I spoke with talked about how prior to LBJ sticking his thumb on the scale for Houston, NASA was largely run out of Langley in Virginia - and both due to the thriving local aerospace industry and the region's proximity to DC, there was a lot of thought that NASA's presence in the region would only grow larger.
Hell, one of the people I interviewed, who worked for NASA at the time, literally said "Were it not for LBJ, Hampton Roads, not Houston, would have been Space City." Even said Nixon winning in 60 would have done that!
So how's THAT for an interesting little US History chestnut - all those jobs and billions of dollars that, instead of going to Houston, Texas, eventually helping it grow to be the fourth-largest city in America, go to Hampton Roads, Virginia.
Think of the impact that could have had on the development of both Texas and Virginia!