West Liberty History 1838-1938

Source: One Hundred Years of History
* Commemorating a Century of Progress in the West Liberty Community * WEST LIBERTY, IOWA
WEST LIBERTY METEOR

How West Liberty received by mistake world-wide recognition as one of the places where meteors were known to have fallen, was explained by Dr. Charles C. Wiley, noted astronomer, and professor at the University of Iowa, a few years ago when he came to West Liberty for a swim in the Kimberly pool.

Dr. Wiley said that a meteor fell near Amana colonies Feb. 12, 1875, and some West Liberty reporter probably wrote the story saying that a meteor fell near West Liberty, the place where it really fell being about 40 miles west of here. So, West Liberty's name used in connection with the meteor was brought into the news not only in America but also in Europe.

Dr. Wiley recalled that many of the small stones from the meteor which had been scattered about, were collected and sent to museums all over the world. One was sent to Vienna, where a European professor labelled it the " West Liberty Meteorite."

All through the years West Liberty's name continued to be used in connection with the meteor. As Dr. Wiley said," The name stuck," and he added, " a professor in preparing a map for the World's Fair in 1904, showing all the places where meteors are known to have struck, placed a red star on the location of West Liberty.

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