Kecksburg, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kecksburg, Pennsylvania
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 Kecksburg, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Westmoreland |
| Founded by | Johann Martin Keck |
| Elevation | 1,209 ft (369 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
Kecksburg is an unincorporated community in Mount Pleasant Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. It is located along PA Route 982 in a heavily wooded area about 30 miles southeast of Pittsburgh at an elevation of 1,209 feet.
Contents
History
UFO incident
On December 9, 1965 a large, brilliant fireball was seen by thousands in at least six states and Ontario, Canada. It streaked over the Detroit, Michigan/Windsor, Ontario area, dropped metal debris over Michigan and northern Ohio, and caused sonic booms in Western Pennsylvania. The fireball landed in the woods just outside Kecksburg and was reportedly acorn-shaped. Some speculated that it was a UFO, however the United States government officially stated that it was just a meteor.
A large bell-shaped metallic object was made by Unsolved Mysteries for their story on the incident. After the story aired, the show donated the model to the town, and it was placed upon a three-legged wooden pedestal at the local fire department. The model was taken indoors for a time, however it is now back outside on a new metal pedestal lit with spotlights.
Images for kids
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A model depicting the supposedly crashed object, called the "space acorn", originally created for the show Unsolved Mysteries, and put on display near the Kecksburg fire station.
See also
In Spanish: Kecksburg para niños
