[meteorite-list] Potter: RFS Picture of the Day - January 27, 2007

[MARK BOSTICK]

Darren wrote the following based on Find a Falling Star, pgs. 117 and 118.…

“The Potter, Nebraska meteorite was found by farmer Cecil McKinney when 
large
rocks were struck by his tractor.  After digging several large masses from 
his
field, because of their unusual density he used some of them as weights on 
his
disc plow while tilling land until his son-in-law had a chance encounter 
with HH
Nininger in a Sterling, Colorado truck stop and quickly recognized that a 
small
meteorite Nininger had placed on the counter looked much like the large 
stones
on his father-in-law's farm.  Samples mailed to Nininger were positively
identified by Nininger who then traveled to the farm and purchased around 
260
kilograms of the weathered brecciated L6 meteorite.”

A 1941 newspaper article, which does note the McKinney’s name, something the 
Nininger recollection in FAFS does not, has a slightly different story.

http://www.meteoritearticles.com/znp02261941.html

Find a Falling Star was purchased in 1972, and was mostly written by Abbey.  
This leads me to believe the newspaper article is likely more correct.

Clear Skies,
Mark Bostick
www.meteoritearticles.com