Michael Bushnell
Northeast News

“Well, I’m standin’ on a corner in Winslow Arizona, such a fine sight to see.”

That line from the famous Eagles super hit “Take it Easy” instantly causes feet to tap and the familiar melody instantly plays in our subconscious.

America’s Mother Road travels straight through the center of Winslow, right past Standin’ on a Corner Park, dedicated in 2016 and named after the Glenn Frey, Jackson Browne collaboration of “Take it Easy.”

Roughly 25 miles past Winslow, however, is a natural wonder that leaves visitors in awe.

The Barringer Meteor Crater formed over 50,000 years ago when a 300,000 ton meteorite traveling 26,000 miles per hour struck the earth with the force of over 2.5 million tons of TNT.

The resulting crater that was left is over a kilometer wide and almost 600 feet deep.

The crater is named for an early 20th century Philadelphia mining engineer named Daniel Moreau Barringer.

Barringer was convinced that a meteorite caused the crater, which flew in the face of the conventional wisdom of the day.

A self-taught geologist, Barringer spent a number of years studying the crater and eventually was vindicated in his hypothesis that a meteorite, made mostly of an iron composite, had struck the earth and caused the resulting crater and fallout.

The crater lies in what is now a state park and is operated by a private venture called Meteor Crater Enterprises.

The site consists of a futuristic-looking visitor’s center that looks like a cross between The Jetsons and the Flintstones.

The center displays artifacts from the crater as well as an Apollo test capsule and guided tours into the actual crater.

Stay tuned! Next week we’re off to Flagstaff and a visit to the iconic Lumberjack Café— all right here on America’s Main Street: U.S. Route 66.