photo #6755184

"then & now" of a real photo postcard of the "American Meteorite Museum - U.S. Highway 66 - Opposite Meteor Crater," Arizona circa 1941 and a "now" photo taken in July 2015. It was once the world's only meteorite museum. It was a self-supporting educational and research institution devoted to meteorites. Meteorites from all over the world were displayed with the aid of competent guides. The museum has been closed since 1953. The building's walls are all but gone now. We understand that the owner since this "now" photo has fenced it off so that people can no longer get close to it.The rock building that resembled a castle was built by Harry and Hope Locke around 1935 with sandstone rock bricks. Although Harry died during construction, his widow opened the observatory in the late 1930s. Tourists climbed the tower to get a view of the crater that was 5 miles to the south. But it was not the best time, the Great Depression still hurt business, and World War II killed tourism until 1945. So the observatory closed after a few years. It reopened in 1946 when Dr. Harvey H. Nininger leased the building and used it for a museum, workplace, laboratory, and home. He hoped to make a living on the fee tourists would pay to see his collection of meteorites. It never made any money. It was closed when Dr. Nininger moved his collection to Sedona, Arizona in 1953 to open another museum and later sold all of his collection.Dr. Harvey Harlow Nininger (1887 - 1986) was a meteorite hunter and expert in all things relating to meteorites. Nininger curated the museum he had founded. The crater is located 6 miles south of the observatory. The visitors driving along Route 66 would stop at the observatory and take a peek at the crater through a telescope.The "now" photo is courtesy of Dennis Alonso.