The Hodges meteorite, officially known as the Sylacauga meteorite, holds a distinct place in history as the only space rock confirmed to have struck and injured a human being. On November 30, 1954, this extraterrestrial event occurred in Oak Grove, near Sylacauga, Alabama. The rarity of the incident propelled the rock and the woman involved into global headlines. This meteorite’s story involves astronomical chance, personal drama, and a legal dispute that secured its place in a museum collection.
The Sylacauga Event: The Day the Meteorite Struck
The afternoon of November 30, 1954, a fireball streaked across the sky, witnessed across three states. The meteor fragmented high in the atmosphere, and one piece descended toward a rented farmhouse. The surviving fragment, weighing approximately 8.5 pounds (3.85 kilograms), smashed through the roof.
The dense, dark rock tore through the ceiling, ricocheted off a wooden radio console, and struck Ann Hodges as she napped on her living room couch. The impact left the 34-year-old with a severe bruise on her left hip and hand. This physical evidence solidified the event as the only scientifically verified instance of a meteorite directly injuring a person. The military initially confiscated the object for analysis.
The Legal Battle for Ownership
Once confirmed as a meteorite, a legal conflict arose over who had the right to claim the space rock. The dispute pitted Ann Hodges against her landlord, Birdie Guy, who demanded ownership. Guy argued the meteorite belonged to her since it had fallen onto her property and sought compensation for the damaged roof.
This conflict highlighted the unusual legal vacuum surrounding “found property” that falls from space. The matter progressed for over a year, forcing the Hodges family into a protracted legal battle that caused public attention and stress. Ann Hodges eventually paid her landlord a $500 settlement to secure the right to keep the rock. However, public interest had waned, and the Hodges could not find a buyer willing to pay a substantial sum.
The Meteorite’s Permanent Home
Today, the main fragment, known as the Hodges fragment, is housed at the Alabama Museum of Natural History. The museum is located in Smith Hall on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Ann Hodges donated the rock to the museum in 1956, two years after the event, as she had grown weary of the attention and stress it caused.
The Hodges fragment is a centerpiece of the museum’s collection and is displayed for public viewing. Visitors can see the roughly fist-sized, dark, fusion-crusted stone that traveled through space and struck a woman in her home. A patch of tar remains affixed to the rock from where it tore through the Hodges’ roof. This unique piece of cosmic history draws visitors who are curious about the one person ever hit by a rock from space.
Scientific Significance of the Hodges Meteorite
The Sylacauga meteorite is scientifically classified as an Ordinary Chondrite, specifically an H4 type. This classification indicates it is a stony meteorite with a high iron content and an internal structure characterized by chondrules, which are small, spherical grains. These meteorites are remnants from the formation of the solar system, providing material estimated to be about 4.5 billion years old.
The Sylacauga fall provided researchers with a rare opportunity to study a meteorite with a precisely documented trajectory and recovery location. Scientists have determined the meteorite likely originated from the asteroid belt, possibly breaking off the asteroid 1685 Toro. Current research involves non-destructive analysis methods, such as X-ray fluorescence, to determine the exact elemental composition. The preservation of this rock at the museum allows ongoing study into the composition of matter from the earliest days of our solar system.