Roswell
In early July 1947, something crashed on a ranch northwest of Roswell, New Mexico. The local Army Air Field issued a press release announcing the recovery of a 'flying disc.' Within hours, the story changed: it was actually a weather balloon. The incident might have been forgotten except that in 1978, researchers interviewed witnesses who claimed the original story was true - that the military had recovered extraterrestrial craft and bodies and covered it up. The Roswell Incident became the foundation of modern UFO mythology. The most likely explanation - a classified balloon project called Project Mogul, designed to detect Soviet nuclear tests - wasn't revealed until the 1990s. By then, Roswell had become too famous for mere facts to matter. The town has fully embraced its alien legacy, with UFO-themed museums, streetlights shaped like alien heads, and an annual UFO festival that draws thousands.
The Incident
On July 8, 1947, the Roswell Army Air Field issued a press release: 'The many rumors regarding the flying disc became a reality yesterday when the intelligence office of the 509th Bomb Group... was fortunate enough to gain possession of a disc.' The 509th was the only nuclear-armed bomber group in the world - the same unit that had dropped atomic bombs on Japan. Headlines exploded. But within hours, the Army corrected itself: officers had mistakenly identified a weather balloon. Photos showed Major Jesse Marcel holding balloon debris. The story died. Few paid attention to rancher Mac Brazel's description of strange debris scattered across his pasture.
The Revival
For thirty years, Roswell was forgotten. Then in 1978, researcher Stanton Friedman interviewed Jesse Marcel, the intelligence officer who had collected the debris. Marcel claimed the material had been extraterrestrial - unlike anything on Earth - and that he had been ordered to lie. Other witnesses came forward with stories of strange bodies, threats from the military, and an elaborate cover-up. Books followed: 'The Roswell Incident' (1980), 'UFO Crash at Roswell' (1991). Each added new details: multiple crash sites, alien autopsies, intimidated witnesses. The story grew more elaborate with each telling.
The Explanation
In 1994, the Air Force released a report revealing that the Roswell debris came from Project Mogul - a classified program using balloon-borne sensors to detect Soviet nuclear tests. The strange debris described by witnesses matched Mogul's construction: radar reflectors, unusual tape with printed flowers, and balsa wood frames. A 1997 report addressed the 'alien bodies': they were likely test dummies dropped from high-altitude balloons in the 1950s, conflated with the 1947 incident through memory compression. The explanations satisfied investigators but not believers. For true believers, the reports were just more cover-up.
The Industry
Roswell has monetized its mystery. The International UFO Museum and Research Center downtown draws 200,000 visitors annually. Streetlights are shaped like alien heads. The McDonald's is designed to look like a flying saucer. An annual UFO Festival each July features costume contests, guest speakers, and alien-themed entertainment. The town's economy depends on visitors who want to believe - or at least want the experience of wanting to believe. Roswell demonstrates how a story can become more valuable than the truth, and how a small city can build an identity around an incident that probably didn't happen as claimed.
Visiting Roswell
Roswell is located in southeastern New Mexico, about 200 miles southeast of Albuquerque. The International UFO Museum and Research Center on Main Street is the essential stop, with exhibits on the incident, UFO history, and alien pop culture. The Roswell Museum has excellent art and history beyond UFOs. The UFO Festival runs around July 4th each weekend. The actual crash site on the Foster Ranch is about 75 miles northwest on private land; some tours offer access. Roswell Air Center (ROW) has limited commercial service; most visitors drive from Albuquerque (ABQ). The town is otherwise a typical small New Mexico city - the alien theming is concentrated downtown. Summer is hot; spring and fall are more comfortable.
From the Air
Located at 33.39°N, 104.52°W in southeastern New Mexico, in the Pecos Valley. From altitude, Roswell appears as a small city in the high desert, with irrigated agriculture along the Pecos River. The terrain is flat and arid. The original crash site is approximately 75 miles to the northwest, in remote ranch country. Roswell Army Air Field (now Roswell Air Center) is visible south of town - it was home to the 509th Bomb Group, the world's only nuclear-armed unit in 1947.