The Oregon Meteorite Mystery: Was the Port Orford Incident a Hoax?
This mystery has occupied the minds of many Oregonians for over 100 years. The meteorite mystery has remained an object of speculation, not least because it has been missing since its introduction to the world in the 19th century.
It all stems from the US Department of the Interior’s decision to hire a man named John Evans to conduct a survey in Oregon. He was a medical doctor from New Hampshire who had little geological experience.
He was tasked to conduct a geological reconnaissance survey of Southwestern Oregon. It was here that he would make his fame and begin a myth that would continue well past his lifetime.
