Meteorites Found in North Carolina: 29 Documented

North Carolina has 29 officially recognized meteorites — 9 witnessed falls and 20 finds. The largest, Uwharrie (Iron, IIIAB — iron meteorite — nickel-iron metal), weighed 72.7 kg. The record here spans 124 years — from Caswell County in 1810 to Farmville in 1934.

19 iron meteorites7 ordinary chondrites2 meteorites1 achondrite from asteroid Vesta

Name	Classification	Mass	Fell / Found	Year	GPS
Uwharrie	Iron, IIIAB	72.7 kg	Found	1930	35.517, -79.967
Farmville	H4	56 kg	Fell	1934	35.550, -77.533
Forsyth County	Iron, IIAB	22.7 kg	Found	1891	36.100, -80.200
Duel Hill (1854)	Iron, IVA	21.8 kg	Found	1854	35.850, -82.700
Nashville (iron)	Iron	18 kg	Found	1934	35.967, -77.967
Mayodan	Iron, IIAB	15.4 kg	Found	1920	36.383, -79.867
Bridgewater	Iron, IID	13.6 kg	Found	1890	35.717, -81.867
Deep Springs	Iron, ungrouped	11.5 kg	Found	1846	36.500, -79.750
Duel Hill (1873)	Iron, IAB-MG	11.3 kg	Found	1873	35.850, -82.700
Monroe	H4	8.6 kg	Fell	1849	35.250, -80.500
Murphy	Iron, IIAB	7.7 kg	Found	1899	35.100, -84.033
Castalia	H5	7.3 kg	Fell	1874	36.083, -78.067
Hendersonville	L5	6 kg	Found	1901	35.317, -81.467
Persimmon Creek	Iron, IAB-sLM	5 kg	Found	1893	35.050, -84.233
Smith's Mountain	Iron, IIIAB	5 kg	Found	1863	36.417, -80.000
Wood's Mountain	Iron, IVA	3.9 kg	Found	1918	35.683, -82.183
Bald Mountain	L4	3.7 kg	Fell	1929	35.967, -82.483
Colfax	Iron, IAB-ung	2.3 kg	Found	1880	35.300, -81.733
Moore County	Eucrite-cm	1.9 kg	Fell	1913	35.417, -79.383
Caswell County	OC	1.4 kg	Fell	1810	36.500, -79.250
Lick Creek	Iron, IIAB	1.2 kg	Found	1879	35.667, -80.250
Guilford County	Iron, IIIAB	1.1 kg	Found	1822	35.567, -79.833
Asheville	Iron, IIIAB	800 g	Found	1839	35.583, -82.533
Black Mountain	Iron, IAB-MG	800 g	Found	1839	35.583, -82.350
Rich Mountain	L6	668 g	Fell	1903	35.033, -83.033
Linville	Iron, IAB-sHH	442 g	Found	1882	35.867, -81.917
Ferguson	OC	220 g	Fell	1889	36.100, -81.417
Alexander County	Iron, IAB complex	192 g	Found	1875	35.750, -81.250
Cross Roads	H5	167 g	Fell	1892	35.633, -78.133

Reading the classifications

H, L, LL (ordinary chondrites)

The most common meteorites — stony, with visible metal flecks. H = high iron content, L = low, LL = very low. The digit (3–6) says how much the parent asteroid heated it: 3 is the most pristine.

Carbonaceous chondrites (CM, CV, CO…)

Primitive, carbon-bearing stones that predate the planets — some carry water-bearing minerals and amino acids. Fragile and rare on the ground.

Irons (IAB, IIIAB…)

Solid nickel-iron from the shattered cores of asteroids. Dense, magnetic, and the easiest meteorites to recognize — most of the biggest US finds are irons.

Pallasites & mesosiderites (stony-irons)

The showpieces: pallasites are gem-quality olivine suspended in polished metal, from the core-mantle boundary of destroyed asteroids.

Achondrites (eucrite, howardite…)

Volcanic rocks from bodies large enough to melt — most trace to the asteroid Vesta; the rarest are from the Moon and Mars.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many meteorites have been found in North Carolina?

29 meteorites from North Carolina are officially recognized in the scientific record — 9 witnessed falls and 20 finds. The largest is Uwharrie at 72.7 kg.

Can I hunt for meteorites in North Carolina?

On BLM-managed public land, casual collecting is legal without a permit: surface finds, up to 10 lb per person per year, personal use only. National parks prohibit all collecting, and on private land the meteorite belongs to the landowner. Always verify land status before hunting.

How do I know if a rock is a meteorite?

Quick field checks: meteorites are unusually dense, most attract a magnet (iron-nickel content), fresh ones have a thin black fusion crust, and many show regmaglypts (thumbprint-like depressions). Slag and magnetite are the common false alarms.

⚠️ Always verify current regulations, weather conditions, and access requirements before visiting any location. Information provided is based on community submissions and may not be current or accurate.

Coordinates are historical find locations from the scientific record, often approximate — not guaranteed collecting spots; verify land status and permissions before hunting. Source of record: Meteoritical Bulletin Database (Meteoritical Society).