The Space Age Arrives

One of the first NASA people to arrive was Chris Kraft, head of the program to send a mission to the Moon. He came to our Episcopal church in Friendswood, accompanied by his wife, Betty. He said he would attend our church and he bought a home in the new subdivision. Word spread and soon our church was overflowing and we had to expand the sanctuary. The subdivision also sold out. The NASA people came from all over the nation and from other places and had a multitude of interests, hobbies and skills. Overnight they changed Friendswood from an obscure village to a fast growing city. One of the astronauts moved into Friendswood. It was an exciting time. The Post, where I was employed, asked me to cover NASA but I refused. I was too close to some of the key people and did not want them to think I was spying on them. The Quakers soon were outnumbered, but their leader, Cecil Brown, made a lot of money out of the subdivision. One thing remained the same: you still could not buy alcohol in the city.