Roswell, New Mexico was established in 1871 by Midwest entrepreneur Van Smith in honor of his father. First aimed at being a major trading post for resources, the city became his namesake. However, it would be another 2 decades before Roswell was officially incorporated. After unearthing subterranean deep artesian water wells beneath the region, the agriculture and ranch industry really took off there. However, the city is most famous for a controversial incident involving aliens crash-landing there in the summer of 1947. Despite the rich mineral wells, prior settlers actually failed to develop a civilization nearby due to, at the time, a lack of water. What truly put this desert town on the map was when a rancher came to find weird debris and artifacts left strewn about his property. The carnage was quickly captured by military and government officials, who initially claimed they had a “flying disc” but quickly recanted to say it was nothing more than a simple weather balloon. To this very day, it’s never been truly confirmed or debunked as to what really turned up on that July day in that field. Coverups and conspiracies have run rampant ever since. Despite this alien notoriety, Roswell does have a few more terrestrial haunted locations, such as the Military Institute; Historical Society; and West Country Club Road, which all have experienced apparitions; feelings of unease; disembodied voices and footsteps; and phantom ghost lights. Surprising to get this much action in an otherwise barren desert landscape, but Roswell truly is a unique city all on it own.
Alien Capital of the World
