The First Printed Account (1880)
In March 1880, the Santa Fe Weekly New Mexican reported a strange sighting: a balloon-like object over Galisteo Junction, New Mexico. Witnesses claimed it dropped unusual objects, including a cup and a flower, both crafted from unknown materials. A Chinese-American local claimed the message attached came from his girlfriend aboard the airship - supposedly en route to New York.

Germany and Poland Outbreak (1892)
Sightings along the German-Russian border raised speculation that experimental aircraft were involved. No such crafts were officially acknowledged, but descriptions of cigar-shaped vehicles capable of hovering circulated in European newspapers.

California Airship Scare (1896)
In late 1896, mysterious flying objects with lights and wings were spotted across California. Some witnesses described aluminum-skinned ships with propellers. Prominent figures like attorney George D. Collins and W.H.H. Hart claimed to legally represent secret inventors, adding to the intrigue - although their stories unraveled.

Midwest Reports and Hoaxes (1897)
By early 1897, airship sightings had spread to Nebraska and Kansas. In Le Roy, Kansas, a rancher fabricated a tale of Martians stealing a calf. In Aurora, Texas, a newspaper jokingly reported a Martian crash and burial - a story revived in the 1960s.

Waves Continue Worldwide (1900-1927)
Unexplained sightings occurred in Wisconsin (1900), New Mexico (1901), and in 1909 across Britain, New Zealand, and Australia. Descriptions ranged from torpedo shapes with searchlights to fishlike craft. Witnesses even reported voices from the air or missiles being dropped into water.

The 1912 and 1920s Waves
Europe again witnessed cigar-shaped objects capable of hovering and flying against the wind. Notably, a Manchester man saw one cross the sun in 1914, and sightings reached the U.S. as late as 1927, with observers reporting massive dirigible-shaped craft over Kentucky.

Into the Modern UFO Era (1946-1967)
In the post-WWII years, cigar-shaped aircraft continued to be seen. In 1952, a Kansas man described seeing a 75-foot-long airship with windows and propellers. In 1967, a New Mexico witness reported seeing two fast-moving craft, again with windows and multiple propellers.

Reflection

While many accounts were exposed as hoaxes, others described consistent features - shape, movement, lights - across regions and decades. Were these early UFOs or vivid imaginations? The mystery persists, and these reports mark the beginning of modern skywatching.