Friday, March 9, 2012

It Came From Outer Space! Maybe!

Every town needs a claim to fame. Whether it's a hotel room that was once frequented by Elvis, a tortilla in the shape of a religious figure or a local lake monster, tall tales go hand in hand with tourism. This concept is not lost on the good people of Pocahontas, Arkansas as they display their pride and enjoy in front of the Randolph County Courthouse.

Here lies the famous/infamous Pochahontas Meteorite. It was found in the Black River bottoms in 1859 by A.H. Keith. In 1986 the Keith Family donated it to the town for the Arkansas Sesquicentennial.

Engraved on the stone is:

"This
Meteor Fell
1859
Donated by
A.H. Keith"

However many local geologist killjoys have said that this is not a meteorite at all and is very earthly in its nature.

But the people of Pocahontas remain undeterred and still proudly display their extraterrestrial treasure for all the world to see proving that with a little imagination and a little showmanship even the dullest stone can shine like a star.



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