SPARTA, WI (SPECTRUM NEWS) -- Fifty years ago on Saturday the first men landed on the moon.

A huge day in American and World history, but also a big day in a Wisconsin town's history.

Part of the story of the moon landing started in a town called Leon, Wisconsin.

“Deke Slayton was born in Leon, he grew up on the family farm in Leon,” said Alyssa Young, the interim director of the Deke Slayton memorial space and bicycle museum in Sparta.

Donald Kent “Deke” Slayton was one of the earliest members of Nasa's space program. Just a few miles down a highway named after him, you'll find a museum honoring him in Sparta.

“He hired Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, he hired all of those guys,” Young said.

Slayton would one day become in charge of Nasa's astronaut office and he had a key role in the mission that landed the men on the moon.

The Airforce pilot turned astronaut planned on going into space himself.

“He was supposed to have been the fourth person into space, but they found that he had a heart defect so he was grounded,” Young said.

Which lead him to his role managing the astronauts instead of joining them.

Until he ended up part of the Appolo Soyuz Mission, joining together with American and Russian astronauts and finally getting into space in 1975.

“His quote was decide what you want to do and never give up until you've done it, which is exactly what he did,” Young said.

A quote prominent in the museum, and a point of pride in the Sparta area.

“It's a great source of pride for the community but also it's a nice connection to an important part of American history,” said John Hendricks, director of the Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce.
He said almost everybody in the area knows about Deke Slayton.

“It certainly is something that is included in our history children are exposed to that and know of deke's legacy,” Slayton said.

Every year the Deke Slayton museum hosts a space camp, this year for the first time they hosted a junior space camp.

Fourth graders in the Sparta School District visit the museum each spring on a field trip.

“We're trying to use Deke as inspiration for the younger ones,” Young said.

Much like he was an inspiration to other astronauts -- Mark Lee, born and raised in Viroqua.

“Deke was one of his inspirations,” Young said.

Lee has his own part in the museum, the Wisconsin man went into space four times.

Lee comes to the museum's space camp each year to speak to children too.

Slayton died in 1993 at the age of 69.

The Deke Slayton museum space camp starts on July 29th this year, but they have already filled up all of their spots. If you are interested in signing up for next year you can call the museum at 608-269-0033.