How New Mexico Became a Hub for UFO Enthusiasts
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a UFO! UFOs, or unidentified flying objects, have long plagued human curiosity. According to the History Channel, reports of strange flashing lights, flying saucers, and other unusual phenomena have been reported in the US as early as the 1600s. However, our shared obsession with alien life reached new heights in 1947 when pilot Kenneth A. Arnold reported seeing a “saucer-like aircraft” while flying over Mt. Rainier. In that same year, one of America’s most famous UFO incidents took place in a little town called Roswell, New Mexico. It was this iconic event–which we will discuss in detail further down–that put New Mexico on the map as a hub for alien and UFO enthusiasts.
The Roswell Incident
New Mexico’s biggest claim to UFO fame started in Roswell in the summer of 1947 as news headlines were littered with the country's new favorite buzz words: flying saucers. If you want to get technical, the Roswell Incident–as it’s come to be known–actually occurred about 75 miles outside of town on a farm in Lincoln County. It was here where a local rancher discovered what he assumed to be debris from a flying saucer strewed about his property. After initially reporting the incident to the local sheriff, word of the debris made its way to the Roswell Army Air Field (RAAF). Post discovery, the RAAF released a series of statements that have fueled UFO conspiracy theorists throughout the years.
The first statement, featured on the History Channel website reads, “The many rumors regarding the flying disc became a reality yesterday when the intelligence office of the 509th Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force, Roswell Army Air Field, was fortunate enough to gain possession of a disc through the cooperation of one of the local ranchers and the sheriff's office of Chaves County.”
Almost immediately, the RAAF redacted that statement, claiming instead that the debris came from a nearby weather balloon. A third statement, released several years later in 1994 saw the US Air Force admitting that the weather balloon statement was completely false. The 1994 admission went on to explain that the debris was the result of a classified spy project tied to the USSR.
To this day, the Roswell Incident remains cloaked in mystery and unanswered questions. But that cloud of mystery is exactly what keeps UFO enthusiasts and curious travelers coming back for more.
Roswell UFO Culture Today
UFO and alien culture is still alive and thriving in Roswell, New Mexico. Throughout the years, millions of curious travelers and UFO enthusiasts have flocked to Roswell, hoping to catch a glimpse at the alleged Roswell Incident crash site. During a visit to this extraterrestrial New Mexico town, visitors will find all kinds of UFO-themed things to see and do. For starters, Roswell is home to the world's only flying saucer-themed McDondald’s The restaurant–which is shaped like a flying saucer– is complete with classic McDonald’s characters decked out in space gear. After you get your fill there, head to the International UFO Museum where you can learn all about the famous 1947 incident. Next, check out local tourist attractions such as the Roswell UFO Space Walk and Bricktown: Alien Attack for an afternoon of family-friendly fun. Those looking for a good photo opportunity will be spoiled for choice in Roswell. Between street art including the “We Believe!” mural and places like Alien Zone, you can take selfies with aliens until your heart’s content.
Great Green Fireballs
Comet C2022 E3, bright green nucleus and Comet's ion tail.
Although the Roswell Incident is the most famous UFO occurrence in New Mexico, it is not the only one. The next major UFO-related event took place in the Los Alamos area in 1948. Several eyewitness accounts recall unexplainable flying green lights or “green fireballs” in the sky. While stories about strange unidentified lights were par for the course in this era, these particular lights caught the attention of the US Government. While many speculated that the fireballs were simply meteors, the fact that the lights were always seen above a nearby atomic weapons laboratory certainly raised some eyebrows. The most notable thing about this case was just how many people reported seeing the fireballs. According to the History Channel, two separate pilots spotted the lights on December 5th, and subsequent reports were made by individuals on the 6th, 7th, 8th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 20th, and 28th of December.
Holloman Air Force Base
For decades humans have felt an inclination to pin the unknown and unexplainable on potential alien interference. There are numerous cases of animal mutilations where the grim details often lead to speculation about which otherworldly creature could carry out such a task. At the New Mexico Holloman Air Force Base in 1956, one of these strange and unexplainable mutilations occurred but to a human instead of an animal. Although official reports of the incident don’t exist, the story goes something like this. Air Force Sergeant Jonathan P. Lovette was seen by his partner being pulled into a flying saucer hovering above. Three days later Lovette’s corpse was found roughly 10 miles from the sight of the abduction–his corpse, strangely and disturbingly mutilated and his body drained of blood.
In Conclusion
Ultimately, it was the Roswell Incident that put New Mexico on the map as a hub for UFO enthusiasts. Since that famous “UFO crash” in 1947, several accounts of strange behavior and unusual lights have been reported in the area–keeping the alien culture alive and well in New Mexico. So if you’re ready for an out-of-this-world adventure, then pack your bags and head to Roswell, New Mexico–The unofficial UFO Capital of the World.