In July 1947, something happened northwest of Roswell during a severe thunderstorm. Was it a flying saucer? Was it a weather balloon? What happened?
The answer is nothing for many years until leading UFO researcher Stanton Friedman came across the story in the early 1980s and began the search for information and witnesses. That research brought him to Roswell looking for the public information officer at Roswell Army Air Field in 1947. That officer was Lt. Walter Haut. He still lived in Roswell and remembered the press release and the orders from his commanding officer. Friedman’s investigation also led to many others both military and private who had information to add to the Roswell Incident story. Stepping into the picture very strongly in the late 1980s were Don Schmitt, Kevin Randle and Tom Carey. Schmitt and Carey dedicate their research to Roswell.
The debris recovered by rancher WW Mack Brazel was gathered up by the military from the Roswell Army Air Field under the direction of base intelligence officer Major Jesse Marcel. On July 8, 1947, public information officer Lt. Walter Haut issued a press release under orders from base commander Col. William Blanchard that said basically we have in our possession a flying saucer. The next day another press release was issued but this time from Gen. Roger Ramey stating it was a weather balloon. That was the start of the best know and documented UFO cover-up.
Once it became public, the event known as The Roswell Incident, the crash of an alleged flying saucer, the recovery of debris and bodies and the ensuing cover up by the military was of such magnitude and so shrouded in mystery, that 60 years later there are still more questions than answers. Books have been written and TV documentaries have been filmed. Witnesses have come forward. Skeptics have issued rebuttals to the Incident and the debate continues.
In early 1990, the idea of a home for information on the Roswell Incident and other UFO phenomena was fostered by Haut. He got together with another Roswell participant Glenn Dennis and the two sought a home for the UFO Museum. This brought them to Roswell Realtor Max Littell who helped find the first location for the business.
Incorporated as a 501c3 non-profit educational organization in 1991 and open to visitor in fall of 1992, the founders never realized just how hungry the world was for information on the subject of their museum. The mission was and continues to be the education of the general public to all aspects of the UFO phenomena. People from around the world travel to Roswell to see what the Museum has to offer and to simply “be in Roswell where it happened.” The exhibits include information on Roswell, crop circles, sightings, Area 51, ancient astronauts and abductions. The exhibits are designed to not try to convince anyone to believe one way or another. Visitors are simply encouraged to ask questions. Many visitors come numerous times and some even spend days if not weeks doing research in the library.
Roswell is 200 plus miles from any large city including Amarillo, Lubbock and El Paso, Texas, Albuquerque, NM and Las Cruces, NM. A majority of our visitors make a point to come to Roswell to see the museum and be in the city where the best known UFO crash and cover-up occurred. While in Roswell, they in the least buy gas and a soda or they may spend a week learning about the phenomena and Roswell.
Since the opening, the Museum has outgrown two downtown locations landing it in the old Plains Theater on North Main in Roswell. The number of visitors continues to be the envy of many other tourist attractions in the state and requires continued growth. Each change and step forward is designed to improve the operations of a business that continues to grow in leaps and bounds. To that end the Board of Directors of the Museum closed on the purchase of one entire city block putting the 4th home for the Museum on the horizon for the more than 150,000 believers, non-believers and the curious travel from all corners of the globe to find out about the home of the Roswell Incident.
Prior to the UFO Museum, there were no alien eyes on the lampposts, no space ship logos for a local car dealer, no city of Roswell logo and branding campaign including a space ship, no documentaries on the Incident and no television programs with the Roswell name. In the past eight years, six UFO related businesses have opened in downtown have opened. There have been six hotels completed and one currently under construction. Roswell now has a Home Depot Building Center, Super Wal-Mart, Hobby Lobby, Sam’s Club, PetCo, Famous Footwear and others. New restaurants including Chiles and Applebee's have opened. There are numerous other new businesses on the drawing board looking to locate in Roswell.
Once visitors began making their way to Roswell for more information on the 1947 Incident and other UFO phenomena, a number of local residents in conjunction with the Museum and the Roswell Chamber of Commerce came up with the idea to celebrate the anniversary of the Incident the first week of July.
Since 1996, the annual Roswell UFO Festival draws the curious, the silly and the serious to the community. Activities range from carnivals to trade shows, from alien costume contests to UFO lectures, from 4th of July fireworks to a parade downtown, from Hollywood celebrities to local children in costume and on roller blades. Known UFO researchers attend to present the most up-to-date information on the subject to the curios.
The museum maintains its position as the serious side of the UFO visitors to Roswell and the surrounding areas. With the media attention and word of mouth advertising, people come looking for answers to specific and personal questions about UFOs or simply out of curiosity. People spend from 30 minutes to a week here.
For more information contact the Museum at 114 N. Main, Roswell, NM 88203; 575-625-9495 or
www.roswellufomuseum.com
