If you're interested in UFOs, you may have heard about an alleged spaceship crash in 1947 that left debris and alien bodies in the desert of New Mexico. Known as "the Roswell Incident" this is arguably the most famous case in UFO history.
Yet here in Texas, there exists an alleged spaceship crash (complete with an alien body) which took place in 1897. That's a full 50 years before the Roswell Incident! So imagine how excited I was to find out that I live just a few minutes away from “the Roswell of Texas.”
I'm talking about a UFO crash that took place on April 17, 1897 in Aurora, Texas. It was even reported in a Dallas News article, in which the alien body found in the wreckage was described as being, "not an inhabitant of this world."
What makes this bizarre incident so fascinating is that the space alien’s body was buried by the townspeople. I've visited the grave several times over the years. It's in a historic country graveyard north of Fort Worth, Texas.
As a travel writer, I like to check out every State Historical Marker I see. The one next the Aurora Cemetery gate is the strangest one I’ve ever come across because it reads, in part, “This site is also well known because of the legend that a spaceship crashed nearby and the pilot, killed in the crash, was buried here.”
When I first visited Aurora Cemetery in June of 2012, a hand-carved stone depicting a cigar-shaped craft marked the spot where Texas settlers buried space alien’s charred body.
Sadly, when I returned in March of 2013, the headstone was missing! All I found in its place was a rock the size of a baseball and some plastic flowers. Since then, a heavy rock accompanied by a wooden cross was placed in the graveyard to commemorate where “Ned” (as the locals have nicknamed the creature) is buried.
The Great Texas Airship Mystery of 1897: Another intriguing aspect to this strange slice of history, is that the Aurora spaceship crash is just one of hundreds – yes, HUNDREDS – of UFO sightings reported in Texas throughout March and April of 1897.
I am currently writing a book about the public’s reaction to the Great Texas Airship Sightings of 1897 and I'm giving a talk on the subject at the International UFO Congress. It's quite a fascinating slice of history!
More info: tuisnider.com
The city of Aurora has created this display to welcome you to town!
The Aurora Space Alien grave is in this historic cemetery
Aurora Space Alien grave is mentioned on a Texas state historical marker
The townsfolk call the Aurora Space Alien "Ned"
The Aurora Space Alien grave is under this oak tree
Sadly, this headstone for the alien was stolen in 2013. Glad I took this pic in 2012!
People leave all sorts of trinkets at the Aurora Space Alien grave!
The Aurora Space Alien grave has a big rock now instead of a headstone
A closer look at the Aurora Space Alien grave
People draw and write on the Aurora Space Alien headstone now
