Imagine driving down a lonely South Carolina highway late at night when an array of unusual flashing lights appear in the road ahead. That’s reportedly what happened to Jerry Littleton, a high school student, who was driving on SC Highway 18 about 13 miles south of Gaffney, South Carolina, on January 19, 1973.
At first, he thought he was approaching an accident. But as he slowed down, the scene ahead became considerably stranger. Sitting in the middle of Highway 18 was what he described as a domed, saucer-shaped craft, glowing yellow and flashing with colored lights.
And standing around it were about a dozen men.
Littleton's account of the incident describes the figures wearing white coveralls and gloves, with jet-black hair. The craft reportedly rested on three legs, with a ladder extending from an opening underneath.
Jerry didn’t stick around to introduce himself, and he sped away. Who says South Carolina country boys ain't got no sense?
The story soon made the local and state newspapers. Today, it remains one of South Carolina’s strangest UFO tales.
As the home of the UFO Welcome Center in Bowman, South Carolina, it shouldn't surprise that alien visitors would consider the Palmetto State a welcoming destination. As the state's tourism slogan says, "Smiling faces, beautiful places."
I had the opportunity to stumble upon the Bowman UFO Center several years ago. It was an unexpected and fascinating discovery. Unfortunately, the Center burned to the ground in 2024. The cause of the fire has not been disclosed. Could this be alien foul play?