On March 3rd, 1876 in the community of Olympia, a strange shower hit.
This unusual phenomenon in Bath County was unlike any storm anyone had seen. Residents were in a frenzy, as it took place over one farm. The weird shower only rained down at the Allen Crouch home. The Mrs. was out in the yard making soap when the debris started to fall. She ran for cover in the house, not knowing what madness had befallen her home.
Chunks of meat rained down from the sky.
Most pieces were 5X5 cm, but one piece was 10 cm. Mrs. Crouch was fortunate to have avoided any injury as the meat fell all around her. It landed on the fence, the house, the yard and was basically scattered throughout the property. Oddly, the sky was completely clear, no clouds and no big shadows. The sun was shining just like in the image.
The New York Times and Scientific American covered the event, examining the meat.
The meat looked like beef and several people tasted it, claiming it tasted like mutton or venison. However, one expert claimed it wasn’t meat at all, but a substance called Nostoc cranium.
After further testing, the meat was determined to be human lung tissue and animal cartilage. This was confirmed by Dr. J.W.S. Arnold, Histologist, and Dr. A. Mead Edwards, of the Newark Scientific Association, publishing their findings in, “The American Journal of Microscopy and Popular Science.
“Why did human and animal meat fall from the sky? There have been several theories, including medical specimens falling from a plane to vulture vomit. After much discussion and theorizing, the Louisville Medical News of 1876 claimed the most feasible solution was, “Projectile Vulture Vomit.” Since there was far to much for one scavenger, it was decided it had been a group of vultures regurgitating a meal during flight over that specific area. This was the most logical solution to the mystery at hand, according to Dr. L. D. Kastenbine, who wrote the report.
Black Vultures and Turkey Vultures are both common in Kentucky.
Both are also known to projectile vomit stomach contents to lighten up in flight, or as a defense mechanism when frightened or hurt. The above solution means a flock of vultures either became frightened or felt too fat to fly over an area less than an acre, and projectile vomited. The fact they vomited human tissues was just kinda left out there for our imagination.
A sample of this regurgitated meat is on display at the Moosnick Medical and Science Museum at 300 N Broadway Road in Lexington’s Transylvania University to this day.
The documented theory seems a little questionable, but then again, it is hard to explain this odd event in Kentucky history.