On a trip back from visiting family, we happened upon a rather unique and surprising site to see hidden off away from a major highway near Kentland, Indiana (N 40° 45’ W 87° 24’). The area, off Route 41 which used to be a busy traveling road until interstates took over the landscape, is home to what is referred to as Kentland Structure, Kentland Crater or the Kentland Disturbed Area or a working rock quarry. Situated in Newton County, Indiana, it was discovered around 1880 by two farmers who began to quarry crushed rock. Geologists determined due to the presence of shattered cones and deformed bedrock in the late 1960's that the structure is in a deeply eroded impact structure.
The circular dome of the structure is about 4.5 miles in diameter that is buried in glacial debris. They have estimated it to be less than 97 million years old (cretaceous) and the center, Shakopee dolomite center is around 450 million years old. The total disturbance area is 7.8 miles in diameter. It's only been within the past 40 years or so that geologists have agreed it's an impact site. The current rock quarry owners do allow for educational tours of the facilities.
More information can be found here at Indiana Meteor Crater.
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