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Hutchinson in Reno County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
 

Man's Last Footsteps On The Moon

 
 
Man's Last Footsteps On The Moon Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 26, 2012
1. Man's Last Footsteps On The Moon Marker
Inscription.
A man must rise above the Earth to the top of the atmosphere and beyond, and only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives.
Socrates (circa 399 BC)

On December 13, 1972, at 11:40:56 p.m. (CST), Apollo 17 Commander Eugene A. Cernan became the last person to leave a footprint in the lunar soil. Four days later, after a 500,000-mile round trip, Captain Cernan, along with crewmates Harrison "Jack" Schmitt and Kansan Ronald E. Evans, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. It was the conclusion of the Apollo lunar program and the end of what historians now describe as the greatest technological achievement in the history of mankind.

Backed by more than 400,000 dedicated workers, 25,000 companies and the will of an entire nation, 12 Apollo astronauts walked on the Moon during six missions between 1969 and 1972. Their scientific goal was to study and explore, but Apollo's legacy is much greater. It taught our nation - and the entire world - how to share a common dream. The Moon landings proudly proclaimed that our nation accepted no limits on what we could accomplish.

This statue of Astronaut Cernan leaving those final footsteps on another world should remind us that the continued advancement of mankind has forever been linked to the exploration of the unknown and the pushing of human
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boundaries. It is a reminder that every generation has an obligation to take risks in order to take our society to ever higher levels of existence. We must also be reminded by history that societies which have not used their knowledge and capabilities to lead humanity into the future are always replaced by nations that do.

Since the crew of Apollo 17 left the moon in 1972, no human exploration beyond Earth orbit has been attempted. This statue is to forever remind each generation of its responsibilities to future generations. The universe anxiously awaits our arrival.

As I take man's last step from the surface...I'd like to say what I believe history will record.
That America's challenge of today has forged man's destiny of tomorrow.
And, as we leave the Moon...we leave as we came, and God willing, as we shall return,
with peace and hope for all mankind.

Captain Eugene A. Cernan, USN (Ret.)

Commissioned for the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center through the generosity of John G. and Chris Harris.

July 16, 1998
 
Erected 1998 by John G. and Chris Harris, and the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & SpaceExploration. A significant historical date for this entry is July 16, 1998.
 
Location. 38° 3.905′ 
Man's Last Footsteps On The Moon Marker and Statue image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 26, 2012
2. Man's Last Footsteps On The Moon Marker and Statue
N, 97° 55.271′ W. Marker is in Hutchinson, Kansas, in Reno County. Marker is at the intersection of 11th Avenue and Plum Street, on the right when traveling west on 11th Avenue. Marker is at the entrance to the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1100 North Plum Street, Hutchinson KS 67501, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The University of Kansas Jayhawk (approx. 0.9 miles away); The Legend of Corky the Hornet (approx. 0.9 miles away); Victor E. Tiger (approx. 0.9 miles away); Gus Gorilla (approx. 0.9 miles away); Wildcat Evolution (approx. 0.9 miles away); The Story of WuShock (approx. 0.9 miles away); Citizens Bank (approx. 0.9 miles away); Whiteside Building (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hutchinson.
 
Also see . . .
1. The Apollo Space Program. National Aire and Space Museum website entry (Submitted on January 27, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.) 

2. NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (Submitted on January 27, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center. (Submitted on January 27, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
 
Man's Last Footsteps On The Moon Statue image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 26, 2012
3. Man's Last Footsteps On The Moon Statue
Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 26, 2012
4. Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center
Flags are at half staff to commemorate the life of Astronaut Neil Armstrong
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on October 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 27, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 649 times since then and 5 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 27, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

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Mar. 19, 2024