World's Largest Pallasite Meteorite
Greensburg, Kansas
The World's Largest Pallasite Meteorite is a bonus attraction located in the gift shop of the World's Largest Hand-Dug Well. What's better than TWO World's Largest in the Same Place!?! This one is an example of a naturally occuring World's Largest Thing, as opposed to the well, which is a formerly functioning World's Largest. The best thing about the meteorite is a no-longer published postcard of the farmer who found it, standing proudly beside the chained-up meteorite, akin to a champion fish shot...
The people of Greensburg have names their Meteorite "The Space Wanderer" - with a by-line given in all of the town literature.
One of the most inclusive descriptions is as follows: Half iron and half stone, the Pallasite Meteorite (Space Wanderer) on display in the Celestial Museum at the Big Well in Greensburg, is the largest meteorite of its kind yet discovered. The Space Wanderer was found on the Ellis Peck farm east of Greensburg by Mr. H. O. Stockwell of Hutchinson, Kansas, using a device similar to a mine detector. The Space Wanderer may be old beyond imaginationa and from far beyond our solar system. Meteorites or "shooting stars" have awed humanity throughout history. The "Black Rock of Mecca", inspiration for the sacred vision of Mohammed is a meteorite.
From the brochure:
Meteorites or "shooting stars" have awed humanity throughout history. The Space Wanderer which was found on the Ellis Peck farm east of Greensburg may be old beyond imagination and from far beyond our solar system.
Archeological and geological evidence from various parts of the world have led scientists to concluede that the Brenham meteorites were known to prehistoric American Indians at the time of the Hopwell era. The Hopewell Mound Builders found the stones to be desirable as religious symbols and excellent material for making useful tools and ornaments.
In February of 1886, Frank Kimberly and his wife Eliza recorded a homestead claim in Kiowa County. Eliza began to find unusually heavy black rocks which she believed to be meteorites. She wrote various colleges in an attempt to interest some knowledgable person to examine the treasured stones. Professor Cragin from Washburn University finally risked his money and time to travel the miles with his farm wagon and returned with stones that he was confident were of a rare type of meteorite sure to arouse excited interest in the scientific community.
In 1949, H.O. Stockwell, with the aid of a modern metal detector and equipment rigged at the Peck farm, uncovered the largest pallasite found to date,The Space Wanderer, weighing 1000 pounds. A number of local persons expressed the desire to keep the meteorite in the vicinity and, through the urging of a member of the Greensburg Chamber of Commerce, the organization made an offer of a reasonable price for the stone. The pallasite was placed in the Greensburg Big Well Museum in 1949, where it has been on display and is seen by many thousands of tourists each year. There is a specimen weighing 740 pounds from this same shower at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.
World's Largest Pallasite Meteorite Stats:
1000 pounds, found 1949
Opening to free it from the ground was six feet deep and about seven feet in diameter.
315 South Sycamore,
(3 blocks south of US Hwy 54 on Sycamore St.)
Greensburg Kansas.
Summer: Memorial Day - Labor Day 8am - 8pm
Winter: Mon - Sat 9am - 5pm, Sun 1pm - 5pm
1-800-207-7369
www.bigwell.org
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