WILLAMETTE METEORITE

The 'Willamette Meteorite' was discovered in the U.S. state of Oregon, and is the largest meteorite ever found in the United States, and the sixth largest in the world. It is an iron-nickel meteorite. No impact crater has been found; it is possible it landed in what is now Canada and was transported to where it was found through glacial processes.

Contents

Physical characteristics

Modern history

Replicas

References

External links

Physical characteristics

The meteorite weighs over 14,000 kg (about 32,000 pounds/15.5 tons) and is a type III meteorite. The iron content is more than 91% and the nickel content near 8%. There are also traces of cobalt and phosphorus. The approximate dimensions of the meteorite are 10' tall by 6'6" wide by 4'3" deep. The distinctive pitting on the surface of the meteorite is believed to be a result of multiple causes. Both the high-speed atmospheric entry and weathering (due to the high iron content) ''in situ'' at Clackamas County, Oregon are certainly responsible. Specifically, rainwater interacted with deposits of troilite in the meteorite which resulted in a form of sulfuric acid which slowly dissolved portions of the meteorite. This resulted (over a very long period) in many of the pits that are visible today.

Modern history

The meteorite was discovered in 1902, in the Willamette Valley of Oregon at , by the modern city of Oregon City.
The meteorite was reputedly a venerated object by Native American tribes in that area.
When a settler named Ellis Hughes discovered it, it was on land owned by the Oregon Iron and Steel Company. The settler moved it in secret to his own land after 90 days of hard work to cover a 3/4 mile (1200 m) distance, after which he claimed ownership. The move was discovered and after a lawsuit the Oregon Iron and Steel Company was recognized as the legal owner.^[1]

In 1905 the meteorite was purchased by Mrs. William E. Dodge for $26,000. After being displayed at the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, it was donated to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City where it is now on display.^[2]
The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, a group of American Indian Tribes, claimed to have used the meteorite to perform an annual ceremony. The Tribes have requested that the meteorite be returned. The Tribes reached an agreement with the museum in 2000 allowing tribal members to conduct their private ceremony once a year and that ownership would be transferred to them should the museum stop displaying the meteorite.^[3] ''See also Clackamas Indians.''
In response to a student's request in 2007, Representative John Lim introduced a resolution that would demand that the museum return the Meteorite to Oregon. The Tribes said they were not consulted, they did not support the resolution and were content with the current arrangement with the museum.^[4]

Replicas

A replica of the meteorite is in Eugene, Oregon, outside the University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History on the University of Oregon campus. Another replica stands near the Willamette Methodist Church in West Linn, Oregon.^[5]

References

1. http://www.usgennet.org/alhnorus/ahorclak/MeteorTreasures.html
2. http://natural-history.uoregon.edu/Pages/web/meteorite.htm
3. http://www.meteoritearticles.com/znp06232000.html
4. House caught between a rock and a hard place Edward Walsh
5. http://www.usgennet.org/alhnorus/ahorclak/WMSource.html

External links

★ American Museum of Natural History on the Willamette Meteorite

★ On the agreement between American Museum of Natural History and the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community

★ Map reference

★ meteoritearticles.com on the Willamette Meteorite

★ grandronde.org on the Willamette Meteorite

★ usgennet.org on the Willamette Meteorite

★ Geological Society of Oregon on the Missoula Floods & the Willamette Meteorite

★ [http://www.jjkent.com/articles/williamite-meteorite-oregon.htm About the Williamette [sic] Meteorite in Oregon]