Set in the fictional town of Arkham, Massachusetts, an unnamed narrator investigates a local area known as the 'blasted hearth.' After failing to extract any information from the Arkham locals, the narrator encounters an old man, Ammi Pierce, who relates the story of a farmer who once lived there. The hearth, he claims, was caused by a meteorite that fell onto the farmer's field in 1882.

The Color Out of Space is one of H.P. Lovecraft's best-loved and most critically acclaimed stories. According to the author, it was also his personal favorite.