“I happen to have been privileged enough to be in on the fact that we’ve been visited on this planet, and the UFO phenomenon is real.”
— Apollo 14 astronaut, and sixth person to walk on the Moon, Captain Dr. Edgar Mitchell
Is a being from another planet buried in an unmarked grave in rural Texas?
According to the UFO community, it’s quite possible.
A conundrum the magnitude of the Roswell Incident shook the tiny town of Aurora, in the Lone Star State, the night of April 17, 1897. On this evening, an unidentified aircraft allegedly crash landed on private property, destroying a windmill in its wake, and shattering the consciousness of rural America.
As stated in the Dallas Morning News, on April 19th of the same year, not only was a mysterious flying vessel recovered from the wreckage, but so too the live body of a mortally wounded extraterrestrial.
Reportedly, townsfolk attempted to aid the interstellar visitor by sheltering it in a local barn. Unfortunately, the diminutive humanoid perished during the evening as a result of physical trauma.
In 1897, extraterrestrials were far from the tabloid headlines they are today. This was an era before functional airplanes. Rather than seek the media, the citizens of Aurora purportedly buried this deceased space visitor, affording it the same courtesy they would their own dead.
According to tale, the Aurora Cemetery is now the final resting place for what may be physical proof of extraterrestrial life. A modest gravestone, complete with a carving of a spacecraft, was erected to mark the remains of this traveler.
The incident was all but forgotten until 1973 when a group of miscreants stole the headstone denoting the space alien’s place of interment. This minor criminal act made local news before the legend, once again, disappeared.
Today, some claim the entire tale was a publicity stunt concocted by S.E. Haydon, the author of the 1897 Dallas Morning News article, as a means of generating revenue for his dying town. However, there are still those who believe an alien remains buried in the Lone Star State.
UFOlogists claim the hamlet’s lack of intent to capitalize on what could be a tourist gold mine, speaks volumes. Aurorans are hesitant to mention the matter, and no alien-related businesses have sprung up around town. Intriguingly, what is described as this legendary incident, is now documented on a Texas Historical Commission marker outside the Aurora Cemetery.
But what of the remains of the downed craft, itself? Are they locked in some basement somewhere, still glowing with otherworldly power?
According to tale, portions of the shattered space vehicle were carted off by citizens shortly after the crash. One piece of the vessel was said to have been buried with the alien, itself, while the remainder of twisted metal was thrown down a nearby well.
Brawley Oates, a subsequent owner of the property upon which the aforementioned pit resides, suffered grotesque swelling of his joints, perhaps due to ingestion of what may have been contaminated water from the spring.
Is an alloy slug, recovered from the alleged crash site, proof of extraterrestrial contact? Metallurgists determined an inch-long chard retrieved from the area was composed of high grade aluminum that didn’t exist in 1897 and, even today, would be difficult to manufacture.
UFO investigators continue their efforts to exhume whatever is buried in a now-unmarked grave in the Aurora Cemetery. However, they face legal roadblocks from local authorities attempting to protect their tiny town from further vandalism.
Should you care to visit the Aurora Cemetery, and gaze upon what might be the most important grave on the planet, the boneyard is located on Cemetery Road in Aurora, Texas. Aurora is nestled in the northeast portion of the state. From US 81/287 in Rhome, take Highway 114 and head west for a mile and a half before turning onto Cemetery Road and venturing south. The Aurora Cemetery resides half a mile down on the left hand side of the street.
Hugh Mungus
© 2010. Hugh Mungus
Reference Index:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Mitchell#Views_on_UFOs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora,_Texas_UFO_Incident
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8FoBigYifo
UFO Hunters: The Complete Season Two. Prod. John Alon Walz. Perfs. Dr. Ted Acworth, Bill Birnes, James Lurie, Pat Uskert. DVD, 2007. ISBN: 1-4229-3099-8