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Great Airship Wave
From 1896 to 1897, thousands across America reported seeing mysterious cigar-shaped 'airships' with bright lights in the sky - years before the Wright Brothers flew. Witnesses described propellers, wings, and even occupants. Some claimed the pilots landed and asked for water. The phenomenon remains unexplained.
1896-1897
United States
10000+ witnesses
Mystery airships crossed America before powered flight existed.
The Wave
1896-1897:
- Began in California
- Spread eastward
- Thousands of reports
- Major newspapers covered
- National phenomenon
The Craft
What was described:
- Cigar-shaped
- Bright lights
- Propellers seen
- Searchlights
- Mechanical sounds
The Occupants
Strange claims:
- Pilots seen
- Landed for supplies
- Asked for water
- Spoke English
- Various descriptions
The Mystery
Why it’s strange:
- Before Wright Brothers
- No known technology
- Massive scale
- Multiple states
- Consistent descriptions
Famous Cases
Notable reports:
- Sacramento November 1896
- Oakland sightings
- Texas encounters
- Midwest reports
- East Coast finale
The Theories
What people thought:
- Secret inventor
- Edison blamed/credited
- Foreign power
- Mass hysteria
- Never proven
The Legacy
Historical importance:
- First UFO wave
- Predates modern UFOs
- Similar patterns
- Mystery unsolved
- Still studied