{
"Rife Timeline" : [
{
  "date" : "1888",
  "desc": "Reports of anomalous Victorian-era airships, including streamlined metallic vehicles with no apparent propulsion and otherworldly occupants, have perplexed observers. These occurrences, some predating the 1896 California airship wave, feature instances where futuristic craft landed and discharged large, hairy, man-like creatures known to local tribes as \"Crazy Bear.\" These creatures allegedly arrived in small moon-like craft alongside beings resembling Indians, wearing shiny clothing, creating a mysterious connection between UFOs, Bigfoot-like entities, and native folklore. (Chapter 2, Ref 92)",
  "location" : "Northern California",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_86",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1880's",
  "desc": "In the 1880s, an incident in the American West involved a man who encountered a ball-shaped UFO landing on a mountain. Despite his fear, he approached the craft and observed a large silver hall with a retractable lid. From inside emerged two shorter, attractive beings—identified as a man and a woman—who attempted to communicate with him but failed due to language barriers. The beings returned to the craft, closed the lid, and the UFO ascended into the sky and disappeared. (Chapter 2, Ref 93)",
  "location" : "American West",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_87",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1892",
  "desc": "In 1892 in the Caribbean waters, witnesses aboard the ship \"The Green\" observed two large, glowing, house-sized objects emerging from the ocean next to the ship. The ship's crew, including the captain, was unable to explain this phenomenon, and the objects remained alongside the ship for a time before descending into the water. This incident introduces the concept of Unidentified Submersible Objects (USOs) alongside the traditional UFO sightings. (Chapter 2, Ref 94)",
  "location" : "Waters near Jamaica",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_88",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1893",
  "desc": "In 1893, an Australian farmer had a lasting encounter with a saucer-shaped UFO. After approaching the landed craft, a being in unusual attire emerged and directed a light beam at him, rendering him stunned and eventually leading to a permanent paralysis in his hand. The incident left a lasting impact on his life. (Chapter 2, Ref 95)",
  "location" : "Australia",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_89",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1896",
  "desc": "In 1896, a saucer-shaped UFO visited a Missouri farm, appearing as a circle of flashing lights that descended and hovered over their barn. The family observed the blinding lights before taking shelter in their house out of fear. The next day, they discovered three dead steers in the pasture, drained of blood with puncture wounds on their throats. This incident, paralleled by similar reports in the area that night, left behind burned grass and an enduring mystery that resonates with cattle mutilation cases. (Chapter 2, Ref 96)",
  "location" : "Missouri",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_90",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "4/11/1897",
  "desc": "During the 1897 mystery airship wave, witnesses in Benton Harbor, Michigan, reported a non-dirigible-shaped UFO on April 11th. Described as a massive ball of fire, the object emitted various colored lights that transformed when observed through opera glasses, as reported in a local newspaper on the following day. (Chapter 2, Ref 97)",
  "location" : "Benton Harbor, Michigan",
  "time" : "19:45",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_91",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "4/12/1897",
  "desc": "The night after the Benton Harbor incident, over 50 people in Lincoln, Illinois, witnessed a brightly-lit V-shaped object flying over the town. (Chapter 2, Ref 98)",
  "location" : "Lincoln, Illinois",
  "time" : "night",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_92",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "4/1897",
  "desc": "During the same period, an object described as \"pear-shaped with the apex downward\" was witnessed flying rapidly over Fort Wayne, Indiana. Another observer noted a slightly different configuration, describing it as round with a V-shaped tail emitting bright yellow rays of light from the main body. (Chapter 2, Ref 99)",
  "location" : "Fort Wayne, Indiana",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_93",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "5/4/1897",
  "desc": "On the evening of May 4th, several citizens in Cincinnati, Ohio, reported an egg-shaped, red object emitting rays. The object appeared to have a curtain-like covering, with rays escaping from the center and both ends, and it moved in a zigzag course, alternating between upward and downward motions. (Chapter 2, Ref 100)",
  "location" : "Cincinnati, Ohio",
  "time" : "evening",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_94",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "5/3/1897",
  "desc": "During the 1896-1897 mystery airship sightings, most occupants were described as regular-looking humans, but there were exceptions. In a specific incident near Cassville, Indiana, on May 3, 1897, a man encountered a cigar-shaped craft in a gravel pit, occupied by a crew of smaller-than-average individuals who spoke an unfamiliar language. (Chapter 2, Ref 101)",
  "location" : "Cassville, Indiana",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_95",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "11/1896",
  "desc": "Two men near Lodi and Stockton, California, witnessed three unusually tall, seven-foot beings with slender bodies. The beings appeared graceful and otherworldly, covered in a soft and unique growth. They carried egg-sized objects emitting intense light and attempted to communicate with guttural chants. Later, these beings approached a massive airship resting above the Woodbridge Canal, which they entered and departed with a swaying motion, leaving the witnesses awestruck. (Chapter 2, Ref 102)",
  "location" : "Between Lodi and Stockton, California",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_96",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "4/17/1897",
  "desc": "An unidentified flying object landed near Williamston, Michigan, as reported by local newspapers. The craft was seen by multiple farmers before landing, piloted by a peculiar figure described as almost 9.5 feet tall and almost naked. The being emitted a musical, bellowing-like sound and attempted to communicate. An attempt to approach the being resulted in injury, further adding to the mysterious nature of the event. (Chapter 2, Ref 103)",
  "location" : "Near Williamston, Michigan",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_97",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "4/21/1897",
  "desc": "A witness reported an encounter with remarkably tall occupants of a well-lit object that landed near Ogdin, West Virginia. The witness described the eight beings as being between 11 and 12 feet tall, with oversized heads. They claimed to be exploring Earth, consumed small pills, and \"drank air\" before departing in their craft after an hour. (Chapter 2, Ref 104)",
  "location" : "Near Ogdin, West Virginia",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_98",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1865",
  "desc": "There are pre-1900 reports of crashed UFOs resembling spaceships rather than dirigibles. In an incident from 1865 in western Montana, a mountain man witnessed a bright, luminous body in the sky that exploded, followed by a heavy explosion and rushing sounds. The next day, he discovered a path of destruction with uprooted trees, and he found a large stone with compartments and hieroglyphics, suggesting a possible interaction with advanced beings. (Chapter 2, Ref 105)",
  "location" : "Cadotte Pass, 75-100 miles from the Great Falls of the Upper Missouri",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_99",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "6/6/1884",
  "desc": "In 1884, a reported UFO crash in Nebraska was documented in a local newspaper, describing a blazing object falling from the sky. Witnesses encountered scorching heat and dazzling light around the debris. However, later reports indicated that the debris dissolved into a gelatinous mass after a heavy rain, suggesting the incident may have been a hoax. (Chapter 2, Refs 106, 107)",
  "location" : "About 35 miles northwest of Benkelman, Dundy County, Nebraska",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_100",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1888",
  "desc": "A teenager near Grundy, Texas, allegedly witnessed the crash of an aerial object, leading to the discovery of an injured man amid debris. The man, who spoke an unintelligible language, consumed water and food but died within hours. Neighbors gathered to see the fallen \"man from the sky,\" and the debris included lightweight, unscratchable metal pieces of two types—silver-gray and dark blue—which remained heat-resistant even when placed on a hot stove. (Chapter 2, Refs 108)",
  "location" : "Near Grundy, Texas",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_101",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1893",
  "desc": "In the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, outside the Columbian Exposition, an attraction named \"Men from Outer Space\" displayed the bodies of four purported occupants recovered from a crashed aerial object. Accounts of this display are based on recollections from visitors at the time, describing the bodies as about three feet tall, hairless, and with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, all preserved in glass containers filled with formaldehyde. (Chapter 2, Refs 109)",
  "location" : "Chicago World's Fair",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_102",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "4/17/1897",
  "desc": "During the 1897 airship wave, in the small town of Aurora, north Texas, a mysterious airship collided with a windmill tower and exploded on April 17. Witnesses reported that the pilot, the presumed sole occupant, was not from Earth and was disfigured in the crash. Papers found on the pilot were written in indecipherable hieroglyphics, sparking speculation about extraterrestrial origin, and the town gathered to view the wreckage and debris. (Chapter 2, Refs 110)",
  "location" : "Aurora, Texas",
  "time" : "morning",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_103",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1897",
  "desc": "The Aurora UFO incident of 1897, involving the crash of an alleged airship from another world, has faced skepticism due to inconclusive metal fragment analysis and denied access to the cemetery for potential remains. However, recent testimony from individuals who lived in the Aurora area at the time adds some corroboration to the story, describing a low-flying cigar-shaped airship with a white light that crashed and caused an explosion on Judge J. S. Proctor's farm. (Chapter 2, Refs 111)",
  "location" : "3 miles south of Aurora, Texas",
  "time" : "04:00",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_104",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1897",
  "desc": "In the aftermath of the Aurora UFO incident, eyewitnesses from the Lewisville area recounted that an airship was seen approaching from Dallas, crashing near Judge Proctor's well and exploding. The airship was destroyed, and the pilot's body was badly torn up, leaving the crowd of sightseers unable to identify the unknown metal the craft was made of or provide a detailed description of the pilot's body. (Chapter 2, Refs 112)",
  "location" : "Lewisville, Texas",
  "time" : "night",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_105",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "1897",
  "desc": "In the wake of the crash in Aurora, witnesses recall the explosion of the airship, with the pilot being torn up and killed in the incident. The townspeople who gathered his remains noted he was a \"small man,\" and the event generated fear and excitement among the locals who were unfamiliar with regular airplanes or airships at the time. (Chapter 2, Refs 113)",
  "location" : "Aurora, Texas",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_106",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
},
{
  "date" : "9/1899",
  "desc": "A young Mexican boy claimed to have encountered a small humanoid in silver-colored clothing while searching for stolen cattle in the mountains. Feeling threatened, he shot at the creature, which disappeared. Later, a lawman from the group investigating the incident disappeared after approaching a UFO. Despite searching, no trace of the lawman was found, leaving behind an intriguing and unexplained story. (Chapter 2 Refs 114)",
  "location" : "Mountains of northern Mexico south of Tucson, Arizona",
  "ref": "[_It Didn't Start with Roswell_, by Philip L. Rife, 2001](https://archive.org/details/it-didnt-start-with-roswell-50-years-of-amazing-ufo-crashes-close-encounters-and)",
  "source_id" : "Rife_107",
  "source" : "Rife",
  "type" : "UFO sighting"
}
] }