The Big Well & the Meteorite - Greensburg, Kansas
N 37° 36.213 W 099° 17.656
14S E 474025 N 4161870
The Roadside America website lists the well and meterite in Greensburg as attractions.
Waymark Code: WM8ZW9
Location: Kansas, United States
Date Posted: 06/06/2010
Views: 15
The tiny town of Greensburg, Kansas, is BIG on unique attractions, including "the Big Well" and "the World's Largest Pallasite Meteorite"!
The big well was used by the Sante Fe railroad in it's bid to beat the Rock Island railroad to build a railroad to the western United States as that part of the country began to be settled in the late 19th century. The digging of the well began in 1884 and was completed three years later, in 1887, with workers using only hand tools such as shovels, picks, pulleys, ropes, barrels to haul the dirt and rocks out of the hole. When finished, the well measured 109 feet deep and 32 feet in diameter, and was designated "World's Largest Hand Dug Well"!
The town's other oddity, The Meteorite, was discovered in 1949 in a farmer's field near Greensburg, apparently deposited there during a meteor shower. There have been many pieces of the meterior located in the area, but the one on was the largest and has been nicknamed "Space Wanderer". It weights about 1,000 pounds.
Please note that on May 4, 2007, a tornado destroyed most of the town of Greensburg, and a tiny temporary gift shop has been opened near the well, with the meteorite housed there temporarily. Visitors may want to call ahead to be sure the gift shop will be open.
The Big Well & the Meteorite
Address: 315 South Sycamore, Greensburg, KS
Hours: Gift shop M-Sa 9-5, Su 1-5. (Call to verify)
Phone: 620-723-4102
Price of Admission: 0.00 (listed in local currency)
Roadside Attractions Website: [Web Link]
Location Website: [Web Link]
Weekday Hours: Not listed
Weekend Hours: Not listed
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