Their house is a museum…

You can still see downtown Odessa from the Frances and Nathan Hankins’ new home. But to the new resident managers of the Odessa Meteor Crater, it’s a world away.

The Hankins, both 62, moved into the museum at the tourist site southwest of town on Feb. 1. They run the museum and keep an eye on the site when it’s closed.

"We lived in town in the same house for 37 years," Frances Hankins said. "Then we found this opportunity and decided to go on a new adventure."

Frances Hankins admits that she and her husband hadn’t been to the Odessa Meteor Crater in 30 years — long before it had an organized museum. But the longtime Odessa residents are catching up fast.

"I really wasn’t aware that they had built the building," she said. "I do wish I had come out more often now that I’ve seen it and studied it more. It’s very important to our history."

During the day, the Hankinses can be found in the museum. Since taking over, they’ve greeted visitors from places ranging from Korea to San Diego to Macedonia.

But at night, they live in a two bedroom, two-bathroom apartment that’s part of the museum building. It includes a living room and kitchen, but right now it’s furnished with camping chairs. It also has security monitors so they can keep an eye on what’s going on outside.

"It will be nice once we get our furniture in it," Frances Hankins said.

Since they arrived at the crater, Frances Hankins said she only heads back to Odessa once a week to shop. She’s been too busy learning about the crater.

She said her favorite part of her new home is talking to visitors.

"Telling them what I’ve learned about the meteor crater and the relationship between what falls from the sky and what happens to the ground when it hits," she said.

The change was positive for the couple. Frances Hankins said her husband has been ill.

"We needed to supplement our income, and God blessed us with this," she said.

The two say they really like it at the crater.

"I’ve just been moving around slow and easy," Nathan Hankins said. "She operates the place. I just help out whenever she needs it."

Tom Rodman, president of the nonprofit Meteor Crater Friends Inc., said he was seeking a retired couple who were willing to live at the crater to serve as directors. While a number of single men applied, he said the Hankins were the only ones who fit that description to apply.

"We need somebody out there as much as possible," Rodman said.

Because the Hankins work as independent contractors, Rodman said they’ve been able to cut what Ector County contributes to the crater in half, from $60,000 to $30,000 per year.

"The county doesn’t have to pay health insurance and all that stuff," he said.

Rodman said he’s been pleased with how the couple has taken to the job.

"So far, it’s going very good," he said. "They’re enthusiastic about it, and I’m enthusiastic about having them."

Frances Hankins said she’s noticed several visitors who mentioned hearing about the meteor crater on "Meteorite Men," a series on Discovery’s Science Channel. The episode on the Odessa crater aired Jan. 27.

"It was beneficial," she said. "It did have an effect on the people who saw it."

The crater is now selling pieces of the 65 pounds of meteorites found during the tapings of the show, Frances Hankins said.

But Terry Davis of Glasgow, Ky., said he didn’t need to see a television show to hear about the crater. The worker at Mammoth Cave National Park has driven by it many times and decided to finally see the crater on his trip this week to Carlsbad Caverns.

"I knew about it a long time ago but never had the chance to stop," he said. "I drove way out of my way today to see it. You don’t see these everywhere."

Want a piece of a meteor?

>> What: The Odessa Meteor Crater is making available pieces of meteorites found during filming of the show "Meteorite Men" for Discovery’s Science Channel.

>> Cost: 45 cents per gram. The pieces start at a "few dollars," said Tom Rodman, president of Meteor Crater Friends Inc.

>> Where to get them: At the Odessa Meteor Crater, located on Moss Road two miles south of Exit 108 on Interstate 20.