A tiny green-and-yellow replica of a John Deere tractor and plow kept on the desk of former U.S. Sen. John Glenn served as a daily reminder of his college days, which he spent plowing the fields of Concord, Ohio.

A memo scribbled in child’s handwriting reads, “I want to be an astronat. Kevin,” and another with a picture of an elementary age school girl reads, “You’re my hero.”

A piece of the actual rocket, Atlas Missile 109D, which boosted Glenn into his historic Mercury flight, sits among a host of scientific treasures and personal mementos.

The man who became the first American in space has allowed his most precious keepsakes to be displayed. Relive the space race and excitement of the great Friendship 7 flight by viewing the exhibit, which is currently on display at Page Hall.

“I initially came up with the idea, though in speaking with Senator Glenn, he didn’t want the focus to be all on him so I tried to make the exhibit more on the historical context of the space race and why the world reacted to the flight,” said Jeff Thomas, chief archivist for John Glenn materials employed through OSU libraries.

Not only are memorabilia solely from the flight and its aftermath on display, but also quaint pieces and snapshots of Glenn’s personal accomplishments and extraordinary life are included in the exhibit.

Newspaper clippings, space flight manuals, signed photographs and famous magazine covers commemorating the great moment in time are all placed together under a sheet of glass. Also included in the exhibit are personal memorabilia sent to Glenn, such as songs, poems and letters.The exhibit, which took about five weeks to organize and design, was created on the premise of putting the proper materials into a historical context that really eclipsed the times.

“I don’t know what you could say about a day in which you have seen four beautiful sunsets,” Glenn once said of his Friendship 7 experience. Submerge into a moment in time that will always be bright in history. The exhibit has a limited run and closes April 6.

Megan Hall can be reached at [email protected].