OLD FORGE, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — History is made on South Main Street in Old Forge, Lackawanna County Thursday.

A section of the state road has been dedicated to Old Forge native and NASA great, Glynn Lunney, a man who accomplished one of the most iconic and historic moments in space.

South Main Street in Old Forge, Lackawanna County is usually bustling with cars. Instead, the state road was blocked off for a special dedication that took years in the making.

“It went before the right people at the right time,” said Rusty Fender of PennDOT and NASA.

Old Forge Borough Mayor Robert Legg dedicated South Main Street between Sussex and Mary Streets as Glynn S. Lunney Way, paying homage to the NASA Aerospace Engineer, Flight Director, and Author credited with choreographing the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, 1969.

“Glynn Lunney was in charge of the project that for a brief moment in time, unified the world,” Fender added.

Lunney grew up in Old Forge before moving to Texas and has a long list of accomplishments, including receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian award.

His family is quite proud of him and flew in from Houston for the dedication.

“Well, it’s very humbling and very flattering at the same time. We know, as kids we grew up knowing he went to work, and later we heard he did all these amazing things and at the time you don’t have the perspective to truly understand that,” said Glynn’s daughter, Jenny Lunney Brayley.

Fender says many attempts over dozens of years were made for this rename to become a reality.

“Any side street, you can name whatever you want in any town in America. Main Street is a state highway. They don’t take to renaming streets lightly,” Fender explained.

Now, the man who accomplished what’s billed as the greatest technological achievement in the history of mankind will forever have a space back in his home.

“He accomplished some incredible things. He was fortunate to have the background he did and the upbringing he did to allow him to pursue that,” Jenny said.

Glynn Lunney passed away on March 19, 2021, in Clear Lake, Texas.