Paragould, AR – Nearly a century ago this month, one of the largest meteorites ever recovered in the United States crash-landed in Arkansas, forever etching its place in history. On February 17, 1930, residents of Paragould awoke to a blinding fireball streaking across the sky, followed by a deafening explosion that rattled homes and sent people rushing outside in fear. The event, which many initially mistook for a catastrophe, resulted in the discovery of an 800-pound meteorite—one of the most significant ever found on American soil.
According to contemporary reports from the Paragould Soliphone, the meteor blazed through the early morning darkness around 4:09 a.m., creating a spectacular light show visible for miles. The accompanying shockwave caused windows to tremble and sent a wave of panic through the region. Some residents believed it was an omen, with a few even fearing the end of the world.
Rumors swirled about the meteor’s impact site, with early accounts placing it near O’Kean in Randolph County, Arkansas. Some claimed the fireball had set structures ablaze, while others reported massive craters. Witnesses from as far as Blytheville and passengers aboard a Missouri Pacific train recalled seeing the celestial visitor, though its final landing spot remained uncertain in the immediate aftermath.
In the days following the event, scientific teams and meteorite hunters scoured the region, eager to locate remnants of the fallen space rock. Eventually, a massive 800-pound chunk was unearthed near Paragould, making it one of the largest meteorites ever recovered in the United States. The discovery drew national attention, attracting geologists and astronomers who sought to analyze its composition and origins.
The Paragould meteorite remains a landmark discovery in the study of celestial impacts, offering insight into the composition of space debris that occasionally enters Earth’s atmosphere. Today, nearly 100 years later, it stands as a reminder of the rare but awe-inspiring moments when the cosmos makes its presence felt on our planet. The fiery spectacle and the discovery of its massive remains remain one of the most extraordinary meteorite events in U.S. history.
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