Southern New Mexico - American Southwest - page 313

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Fun Facts

The Incident at Roswell

In July 1947, something “happened” in Roswell. What was it? Debate still rages.
On July 8, 1947, a local rancher named MacBrazel found unusual debris scat-
tered across his property. The U.S. military released a statement saying the
debris was wreckage from a spaceship crash. Four hours later, however, the
military retracted the statement, claiming what fell from the sky was “only a
weather balloon.” Most of the community didn't believe the story, although
some did suspect that the military was somehow involved—Robert Goddard
had been working on rockets in this area since the 1930s, and the Roswell Air
Base was nearby. Eyewitnesses to the account, however, maintain the debris
“was not of this world.”
Theorists believe that the crash actually involved two spacecraft. One disin-
tegrated, hence the debris across the MacBrazel ranch, and the other crash-
landed, hence the four alien bodies that were also claimed to have been
discovered.
UFO believers have remained dissatisfied with the U.S. Air Force's weather
balloon story and have insisted on an explanation for the “alien bodies.” The
most recent comment from the Air Force came in 1997, 2 weeks before the
50th anniversary of the “crash.” The Air Force said that the most likely explana-
tion for the unverified alien reports was that people were simply remembering
and misplacing in time a number of life-size dummies dropped from the sky
during a series of experiments in the 1950s.
The main place to go in Roswell to learn more about the incident is the
International UFO Museum and Research Center ( & 575/625-9495; www.
roswellufomuseum.com), in the old Plains Theater on Main Street. Staffers will
be more than happy to discuss the crash and the alleged military cover-up. As
well as displaying an hour-by-hour timeline of the “incident,” the museum has
photographs of bizarre and elaborate crop circles, and a videotape in which an
alleged witness tells his account. The museum is open daily from 9am to 5pm;
admission is $5 for adults, $2 for those 5 to 15, and free for children 4 and
under.
Roswell hosts a UFO Festival every year during the first week in July. Some
of the events include guest speakers, celebrity appearances, an Alien Village,
and a parade. For details on the event, call & 575/625-8607 or go to www.
roswellufofestival.com.

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— Su Hudson

ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE From Albuquerque, take I-40 east 59 miles to Clines Corners; turn
south on US 285, and travel 140 miles to Roswell (4 hr.). From Las Cruces, take US 70
east (4 hr.). From Carlsbad, take US 285 north (1 1 / 2 hr.).