The year was 1896. The wild west was starting to become somewhat more civilized. Then the airship came…
Between November 1896 and April 1897 a plethora of highly consistent UFO sightings were reported on by the press across the American Midwest, beginning in California, then moving across the country.
We have tracked the movement of the ship across America:
1896, November 25 – Sacramento, California: A mysterious light was seen moving rapidly from the Northeast and heading in a southwesterly direction. As it neared the southern boundary of the city of Sacramento it turned directly toward the west and after passing the city went south, being distinctly visible for upward of 20 minutes.
Later that same day, in San Francisco, California, Hundreds of witnesses saw a large, cigar-shaped object, shining brilliant beams of light, and moving northwest passing over Oakland. The object was observed by many prominent individuals including Deputy Secretary of State George A. McCalvy, District Attorney Frank D. Ryan, and E. D. McCabe, the governor’s personal secretary.
The following day, November 26, an airship that looked like a great black cigar with a fishlike tail neared Lorin District (Berkeley), California at tremendous speed. It turned quickly and disappeared in the direction of San Francisco. The body was at least 100 feet long and attached to it was a triangular tail, one apex being attached to the main body. The surface of the airship looked as if it were made of aluminum, which exposure to wind and weather had turned dark. Later that day, the witnesses saw it return.
There is now a period of perhaps a few weeks without any sightings until sometime later in Canada.
First, two fishermen in coastal BC saw a pear-shaped flying craft. The next sighting is in Winnipeg, Canada: Approaching from the west, a mysterious airship flew over Winnipeg in full view of many citizens for a full fifteen minutes. After following the Assiniboine River and passing over St. Boniface Hospital, the UFO veered sharply to the north and was lost from view as it flew toward the town of Stony Mountain.
Again, there is a gap in sightings until a sudden rash spanning South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Arkansas, and finally ending in Texas where the craft reportedly crashed and was destroyed.
South Dakota
Howard-Artesian, South Dakota: A flying object followed a train, coming closer and closer to the ground, as reported by the engineer, Joe Wright.
Nebraska
Hastings, Nebraska: A flying object was seen the morning of Sunday, January 24, 1897. It circled for a few minutes and then zoomed away to the north.
Omaha, Nebraska: On March 28, the majority of the population observed an object arriving from the southeast. It looked like a huge light, flew northwestward slowly, coming to a low altitude.
Kansas
Everest, Kansas: On April 1, the whole town saw an object fly under the cloud ceiling. It came down slowly, then flew away very fast to the southeast. When directly over the town it swept the ground with a powerful light. It was seen to rise at fantastic speed until barely discernible, then to come down again and sweep low over the witnesses. At one point it remained stationary for 5 minutes at the edge of a low cloud, which it illuminated. All could clearly see the silhouette of the craft.
LeRoy, Kansas: From a sworn statement dated Wednesday, April 21, a prosperous and prominent farmer named Alexander Hamilton told of an attack upon his cattle at about 10:30 PM the previous Monday, April 19. He, his son, and his tenant grabbed axes and ran some 700 feet from the house to the cow lot where a great cigar-shaped ship about 300 feet long floated some 30 feet above his cattle. It had a carriage underneath which was brightly lighted within, and which had numerous windows. Inside were six strange looking beings speaking in a foreign language. These beings suddenly became aware of Hamilton and the others. They immediately turned a searchlight on the farmer, and turned on some power, which sped up a turbine wheel (about 30 ft diameter) located under the craft. The ship rose, taking with it a two-year old heifer, which was roped about the neck by a cable of one-half inch thick, red material. The next day a neighbor, Link Thomas, found the animal’s hide, legs and head in his field. He was mystified at how the remains got to where they were because of the lack of tracks in the soft soil. Alexander Hamilton’s sworn statement was accompanied by an affidavit as to his veracity. The affidavit was signed by ten of the local leading citizens.
Iowa
Sioux City, Iowa: Robert Hibbard was caught by an anchor dropped from an unknown flying machine 22 km north of the town. He was dragged over 10 m and fell as his clothes were torn.
Linn Grove, Iowa: A large object was seen to fly slowly toward the north. It seemed ready to land and shortly thereafter, five witnesses found the craft on the ground, but then it spread its four giant wings and rose towards the North. Two strange figures aboard the craft made efforts to conceal themselves. Witnesses were surprised at the length of their hair. Most residents of Linn Grove saw the craft in flight.
Waterloo, Iowa: An airship, or a large vessel designed to leave the impression that it is a flying machine, was first observed here at dawn yesterday. The stranger in charge says it is a flying machine and he landed here to make some repairs and that he will resume his voyage in the air today. He keeps all people at a distance of several hundred yards from the machine and therefore many do not credit his story, but think it is a fake designed to create a sensation. The structure is about 40 feet long, constructed like a giant cigar, with wing-like attachments on the sides and a steering apparatus in the rear. The whole is surmounted by a cupola, or lookout cabin, on the roof. The queer craft appears to be built of canvas and to be heavily varnished.”
Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri: 10,000 residents saw a large black ship hover overhead, flash green-blue and white lights, then moved straight up into space rapidly. Many other UFO sightings were reported, describing cigar-shaped, metallic craft with either wings, propellers, fins, or search lights. Bright lights were seen during the night.
Illinois
Hersman, Illinois: A passenger train on the Wabash line, bound for Quincy, was followed by a low-flying object for 15 min between Perry Springs and Hersman. All the passengers saw the craft, which had a red and white light. After Hersman it flew ahead of the train and disappeared rapidly.
Downs Township, Illinois: While working in his field, Haney Savidge saw an aerial craft land near him. Six people emerged from it and spoke to him for a few minutes before leaving again.
Girard, Illinois: On April 12, a large crowd of miners saw an unknown object land. The night operator of the Chicago-and-Alton Railroad, Paul McCramer, stated that he came sufficiently close to the craft to see a man emerge from it to repair the machinery. Traces were found over a large area. The object itself was elongated like a ship with a roof and a double canopy. It left toward the north.
Nilwood, Illinois: On the property of Z. Thacker, an unknown object landed on Apr. 12. Before the three witnesses could reach it, the craft, which was shaped like a cigar with a dome, rose slowly and left majestically toward the north. Witnesses: Edward Teeples, William Street and Franklin Metcalf.
Indiana
Gas City, Indiana: An object landed south of Gas City on the property of John Roush, terrifying the farmers and causing the horses and cattle to stampede. Six occupants of the ship came out and seemed to make some repairs. Before the crowd could approach the object, it rose rapidly and flew toward the east.
Michigan
Williamston, Michigan: At least a dozen farmers saw an object maneuver in the sky for an hour before it landed. A strange man near 3 m tall, almost naked and suffering from the heat, was the pilot of the craft. “His talk, while musical, seemed to be a repetition of bellowing.” One farmer went near him and received a blow that broke his hip.
Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio: Joseph Singler, captain of the “Sea Wing,” was fishing with S. H. Davis, of Detroit, when they saw on the lake what they thought was a ship, about 13 m long, with a canopy. A man, who they judged to be about 25 years old, wearing a hunting jacket and a cap, was fishing from the deck of the craft. Near him were a woman and a child who appeared to be around ten years old. When the “Sea Wing” came close to the craft, a large, colored balloon rose from the object, which lifted the craft up with it to an altitude of about 150 m. It then circled “like a hawk” before flying away.
Arkansas
Homan, Arkansas: Capt. James Hooton was hunting in the vicinity of Homan when he heard the noise of a steam engine and found an object in a clearing. It looked like a cylinder with pointed ends, lateral wheels, and horizontal blade over it. Hooton spoke with a man who wore dark glasses and walked behind the craft. There were three or four occupants. The witness was told this was indeed “The Airship” and that it used compressed air for propulsion. Hooton saw the wheels spin as the craft rose and flew away.
Hot Springs, Arkansas: Two police officers, Sumpter and McLenore, were riding northwest of Hot Springs when they saw a bright light in the sky. About 7 km farther they saw the light again coming down to the ground. One km farther the horses refused to walk. Two men were seen carrying lights. The lawmen took their rifles, called the strangers, and were told that they crossed the country with a flying craft. The silhouette of the machine, about 20 meters long, could be seen in the clearing. There was a woman with an umbrella nearby. It was raining, and the younger of the men was filling a large container with water. The elder man had a beard and suggested that the policemen fly with them “to a place where it does not rain.” The same witnesses went back through the same spot 40 minutes later and found nothing.
McKinney Bayou, Arkansas: Judge Lawrence A. Byrne of Texarkana, Arkansas, was surveying a tract of land when he saw a peculiar object anchored on the ground. It was manned by three men who spoke a foreign language, and whom Byrne assumed might be Asian.
Texas
Hillsboro, Texas: A lawyer was surprised to see a lighted object fly over. His horse was scared and nearly toppled the carriage. When the main light was turned off, a number of smaller lights became visible on the underside of the dark object, which supported an elongated canopy. It went down toward a hill to the south. When the witness was on his way back one hour later he saw the object rising. It reached the altitude of the cloud ceiling and flew to the northeast at a fantastic speed with periodic flashes of light.
Josserand, Texas: Frank Nichols, a respected citizen, was awakened by a machine noise. Looking outside, he saw a heavy, lighted object land in his wheat field. He walked toward it and was stopped by two men who asked permission to draw water from his well. He then had a discussion with a half-dozen men, the crew of the strange machine. He was told how it worked but could not follow the explanation.
Merkel, Texas: People returning from church (presumably on Sunday morning, therefore we can deduce a date of April 11, 1897) observed a heavy object being dragged along the ground by a rope attached to a flying craft. The rope got caught in a railroad track. The craft was too high for its structure to be visible, but protrusions and a light could be distinguished. After about 10 min a man came down along the rope cut the end free, and went back aboard the craft, which flew away toward the northeast. The man was small and dressed in a light-blue uniform.
Rockland, Texas: John M. Barclay saw a flying object circling 5 m above ground. Elongated with protrusions and blinding lights, it went dark when it landed. Barclay was met by a man who told him his purpose was peaceful and requested some common hardware items to repair the craft.
Aurora, Texas: Early on April 17, the ship crashed into a windmill in Aurora. Apparently, the repeated repairs were insufficient, and the craft was no longer able to operate effectively. Some debris was scattered in the wreck and was salvaged by onlookers, and a single body was buried in the local cemetery, complete with a funeral ceremony. Documents were recovered but no one was able to decipher their contents.
For more information, check out our book “Before Roswell“
