HONESDALE, PA — “Stars Fell on Alabama” is the title of a 1934 jazz standard, composed by Frank Perkins with lyrics by Mitchell Parish, that has nothing at all to do with Mt. Pleasant, other than the image that the story of the Bigelow Meteorite invokes.

Sometime between 1896 and 1914, depending on which version of the story is referenced, members of Nelson Bigelow’s family witnessed the fiery fall of an extraterrestrial object above the family farm near the sparsely populated village of Niagara, in Mt. Pleasant Township.

At the county commissioners’ April 18 meeting, Wayne County historian Peter Becker recounted the family story of how “it lit up the sky” in its passage. Charles Bigelow found the landing site and cautiously approached the ostrich egg-sized meteorite. Blazing flying objects being an unknown in those days, “They kept a fence around it for a while,” Becker said.

Bigelow family relative Bob Dodge said the next part of story brought the 11-pound, nickel-iron object to a side-table in a family member’s home in Honesdale, where it remained for “decades.”

The meteorite next appeared in the Wayne County Courthouse lobby, among a number of historic items displayed and largely ignored by those coming and going on county business. Commissioner Wendell Kay said he was sure it’s been in the courthouse for at least 31 years. “I was always looking at the documents [on display], and I noticed it and found it intriguing.”

Dodge concluded another home where the meteorite might be more visible was needed and the Wayne County Historical Society (WCHS) and its executive director Carol Dunn became involved as the commissioners were approached to transfer it to the museum at the WCHS. “We will be honored to prominently display the meteorite,” she said.

After the commissioners approved the transfer, Becker packed the meteorite in a cardboard box and aided Dunn in lugging it to its new home, where it may be viewed upon the May 4 seasonal reopening of the WCHS museum.

In other business last week, the commissioners approved the proclamation of the second week of April as National 911 Telecommunicators Week, and approved individual certificates of appreciation for each of the county’s dispatch crew.