UFO Sightings at Presque Isle State Park, July 31, 1966

UFO Sightings at Presque Isle State Park, July 31, 1966

Betty Jean Klem of Jamestown, NY had a very unusual experience at Presque Isle State Park on Sunday, July 31, 1966. Her boyfriend's car became stuck in the sand off of Beach 6 and they were still waiting for help after sunset. "We saw a star move. It got brighter. It would move fast, then dim. You could see it come down. It was metallic, sort of silvery. It landed between two trees. It came straight down. The car vibrated," said Klem in a report published in the Erie Morning News on Aug. 1, 1966.

Douglas Tibbets of Greenhurst, NY witnessed the entire episode from the front seat of his car. He related his account to Peninsula Patrolmen Ralph E. Clark and Robert Loeb, Jr. when they responded to his call for help. Tibbets was Klem's boyfriend. 

Klem also reported seeing a dark, featureless creature and hearing something walking on the roof of the car.

The Erie Daily Times reported on August 1, 1966 that eight others had seen a UFO the night before between 8 p.m. and midnight. They included:

• Stephanie Lupo
• Helene Roche
• Alain Orcel
• Charoly Mango
• Sue Karle
• Linda Henderson
• Janice Dickey
• Jane Moran

"Air Force Launches Probe of Erie UFO" ran in the Erie Morning News on Aug. 2, 1966. "Officials would not comment on the investigation except to say that all findings can be released only by the Secretary of the Air Force." The article went on to say "A test for radiation was made of the ground surface in the area of Beach 6 where the craft was said to have landed. But no sign of radiation was found by Erie County Civil Defense workers."

Two girls came forward and stated they had seen a UFO three months ago. "Cheryl Coffi, who lives at the light house at Presque Isle State Park, told of the incident. She said, 'This probably has no connection with what happened last night.'"

The Erie Daily Times reported on August 6, 1966 that "Major William S. Hall, of Youngstown, went to the scene of the occurrences near Beach Six, where strange imprints were found in the sand Monday morning, hours after a Jamestown girl was left hysterical from the strange events of the preceding night. The officer took plaster casts of some of the 'tracks.'"

"Five members of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena Tuesday night joined in the investigation of a reported landing of an unidentified flying object Sunday night on Beach 6 of Presque Isle State Park," reported Dick Ramsey in the Erie Morning News on August 3, 1966. The five members who came to Erie were Richard Hobbs, Joseph McGuire, James Reed, Jeffery Gow and James Sipprell.

Two police officers reported that they watched a UFO for two hours before the sun rose on Aug. 3, 1966. Lawrence Park patrolman William Rutledge spotted the UFO around 4:45 a.m. Wesleyville patrolman Donald Peck also saw the object, as reported in the Erie Daily Times on Aug. 3, 1966. A rash of sightings were reported in the Times the next day.

A headline in the Erie Morning News on Aug. 5, 1966 declared, "Peninsula Ruled Safe After UFO Investigation."

There was a follow-up published in the Erie Morning News on August 12, 1966 which stated, "Monster A Bear? Park Chief Says No." Reporter Dick Ramsey wrote, "The Air Force report was released by the Air Force Office of Information at the Pentagon. Information officers said it is the final report on the alleged Peninsula sighting unless significantly new information concerning the sighting is supplied to the Air Force."

Enjoy more Erie, Pennsylvania trivia at: Old Time Erie

Ice Fishing in Erie, PA Bay in 1978

Ice Fishing on the Bay in Erie, PA in 1978

Ice fishing on the bay at Erie, PA in 1978. Photo by Chester Wasielewski, ©Debbi Lyon 2012. 

Ice fishermen love it when Lake Erie freezes over. The proof is in the picture. This shot was taken near the Public Dock at the foot of State Street in Erie, Pennsylvania in January of 1978. The old grain elevator is visible in the background on the right. It has since been demolished. How many people went fishing on this day? It's hard to tell for sure. There are a couple of different strategies here; the simple one involves sitting on a bucket. The other involves dragging a small ice shanty out onto the ice (and hoping that a major wind-gust doesn't launch your shack to Canada.) 

The Maritime Museum and the Blasco Memorial Library were not located on East Front Street when this photo was taken. A new hotel may be in the works on the property where the grain elevator was.

On a good day, you can walk across the Bay to Presque Isle. Do you need a passport to walk across the lake to Canada? Hmmm...

Find more fun facts about Erie PA at Old Time Erie

Presque Isle Park map 1932

Guide to Presque Isle Park, Erie, PA by Peninsula Park Syndicate (1932)

Presque Isle Park map 1932

Top Five facts about Presque Isle from 1932:

1) Eleven miles of concrete roadway and a mile of gravel road provides easy access to all parts of the Park.

2) Fifteen miles of trails give extensive opportunity for nature study, hiking, and horse-back riding.

3) Six hundred picnic tables and one hundred picnic stoves provide facilities for picnicking. 

4) On peak days, it is necessary to establish a time limit of 1 1/2 hours for use of a picnic table by any one party.

5) The Park is closed to visitors at 12 p.m. from June 15th to Sept. 15th, and at 11 p.m. from Sept. 15th to June 15th. 

Current information about Presque State Park can be found at:

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/presqueisle/index.htm