Allegan meteorite falls in Michigan (1899)

The Allegan meteorite, a type 5 H chondrite weighing approximately fifty pounds, landed west of Allegan, Michigan, on July 10, 1899. This event occurred in Allegan County, a primarily agricultural area in southwestern Michigan that was rapidly urbanizing due to expansion from nearby population centers.

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Background and detail

Background. Allegan County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan, comprising the Holland Micropolitan Statistical Area. The region is primarily agricultural but rapidly urbanizing as Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo expand. The meteorite landed west of Allegan, within this county, on July 10, 1899.

Meteorite Characteristics. The Allegan meteorite is classified as a type 5 H chondrite. After its landing, the meteorite weighed around fifty pounds. As of 1964, it was recognized as one of only seven known meteorites to have landed in Michigan.

Historical Context. Allegan County is described in the source era as primarily an agricultural area that is rapidly becoming urbanized as the population centers of Grand Rapids to the northeast and Kalamazoo to the southeast expand into the county. According to the 2010 United States census, the county's population included 23.0% of Dutch, 17.5% German, 8.3% English, 7.1% Irish and 7.1% American ancestry.

County Geography. Allegan County contains Saugatuck Dunes State Park, featuring trails through scenic dunes and a swimming beach on Lake Michigan. The county seat is Allegan, and the name was coined by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft to sound like a Native American word.

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Sources

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