Meteorite Crater of Haviland Kansas^tm

Haviland, Kansas 67059

37^o 34’ 58” N. Latitude

99^o 09’ 50” W. Longitude

2147 ft (654m) Altitude

Small pond, hot summer +1500 lb find on Ross Farm

General Information: The Brenham meteorite was found in 1885 by Eliza Kimberly and ca. 2000 years ago by Hopewell Native Americans. The Brenham meteorite is believed to be approximately 4.6 billion years old from the core-mantel boundary 55 miles deep in an asteroid 250 miles in diameter, which cooled from a molten state at 3^o per million years. A collision 156 million years ago dislodged a 20 foot diameter, 500 ton meteoroid which fell to Earth 20,000 years ago during the maximum of the last ice age. The fall created a 6 mile long, 1 mile wide strewn field and the 55' x 36' wide, 10' deep Haviland Crater excavated by H.H. Nininger in 1933. Total weight ca. 7-8 tons.

Meteorites are exotic materials from outer space and not stable in the Earth's atmosphere. Special care and attention is needed to preserve your specimen. Stability can be a problem with cut Brenham pallasite samples showing the classic metal-stone composition. Some Brenham meteorites are more or less stable than others.

Prevent exposure to humid environments or vapors from cleaning products that contain chlorine bleach. Handling a freshly cut meteorite surface with bare skin will expose it to rust promoting perspiration (salts, organic acids, water), don't do this!

If your Brenham specimen is not showing signs of corrosion-don’t do anything-“if it ain’t broke don’t fix it". If superficial rust appears, don’t panic but do not neglect. Buffing with a cloth wheel and jewelers rouge (e.g. E5, check local hardware store) will remove the corrosion. If left to rust, a stronger abrasive will be needed to remove the corrosion. In extreme cases, the surface can "erupt" due to expansion of the red iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) causing severe and non-repairable damage.

I do not recommend coating or sealing, in my hands it seems to promote corrosion. If you coat with anything, a very light layer of mineral oil or paste wax (no water) will do, something that is easy to remove or is compatible with the buffing process. If you have collectable swords, knifes, guns, shinning armor, , the maintenance is very similar. If a dark tarnish appears and it is not too aesthetically repugnant, leave it alone, it is the self limiting good rust, Fe₃O₄. It can be removed by buffing if desired.

Keep in mind that there will come a day in the Universe when mankind and all our collectables will cease to exist in the present condition-permanence in the physical world is an illusion of the human mind as it operates on a relatively short time scale (pretty profound huh?).

My name is Don Stimpson, I live in Haviland, Kansas and purchased the Kimberly Meteorite Farm in 1994. I will be selling pieces of Brenham on EBay and eventually at a permanent local venue (Haviland-Greensburg area) that highlights other Brenham Meteorites we have found and the Haviland Crater. Our goal is to preserve what is left of the Haviland Crater and promote educational based tourism.

The Big Well in Greensburg. KS, home of the 1000lb Brenham meteorite and the detector used by H.O. Stockwell to find the specimen in 1949

(detector generously donated by the family of David C. Bibens). Note: items from the Big Well are on display at the Sternberg Museum in Hays, Kansas until a museum is built in Greensburg.