Willamette Meteorite
Find / Fall: Find – 1902
Location: Oregon, USA
Classification: Iron, IIIAB
Total Known Weight: 15.5 t
The Willamette Meteorite at 15.5 tons is the largest meteorite ever found in North American. It has had an interesting history from the moment it landed.The meteorite is believed to have struck the Earth in Canada or Montana and was moved by glacial action in the last ice age to the location in Oregon where it was dropped as a glacial erratic. It was discovered in 1902 by Ellis Hughes a local man who recognized it was a massive iron meteorite. However, it was not on his property, so he moved over the course of ninety days on a sled to his land. But he was discovered in this deception and after a court battle, the Willamette Meteorite was declared the property of the Oregon Iron and Steel Company. It was bought from them for $26,000 by Mrs. William E. Dodge. She later donated the meteorite to the American Museum of Natural History.
In the early years, many small pieces were smashed off the main mass and distributed into collections around the world. However, Willamette is a meteorite not often seen for sale to collectors in recent years.
We are offering a beautiful collection of Willamette related materials including a slice of etched Willamette meteorite. Also included in these collections are a miniature casting display of the remarkably shaped and sculptured Willamette Meteorite, iron shale from the Willamette meteorite and a reprint of the commemorative booklet written for the 60th anniversary of the discovery of the meteorite.
There are a very small number of these collections of Willamette materials available.
