Photo: Wisconsin UFO Research Organization - Facebook
via Wisconsin UFO Research Organization (APRO)
The Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO) was a UFO research group started in January 1952 by Jim and Coral Lorenzen, of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
Believe it or not, Wisconsin has a long history of UFO sightings and odd occurrences according to data from the National UFO Reporting Center. Wisconsin is ranked 21st in the country for most documented sightings of approximately 1,666. In 1934 an unknown object, witnessed in rural Barron WI, inspired Coral Lorenzen to develop UFO research. As a result, several UFO incidents were documented over the years:
June 1958
Colburn Park – Green Bay: A family and neighbors, standing on their porches, watched an unidentifiable flying object loudly lift above the trees and disappear. They noticed it wasn’t square or V shaped looking like a rocket used for early space programs. The observers called the police and media (only three TV stations and one newspaper). There were several more sightings between that time and the mid-‘60s. At Light House Pier, four nights in a row, observers watched and filmed UFO activity. When enough attention was generated, the National Guard confiscated the films. As years went on, these individuals sought to find out what it is they saw but none were provided with any information.
July 1966
Linus Playground in Bay View between 9-9:30 p.m.: On a clear night two friends were looking at the stars though binoculars. When they looked to the North there was an object with a green light on one end and a red light on the other. The lights, bright but flashing, looked like two bowling balls close together. With the binoculars, they could see they were connected with a black bar, like a dumbbell. It flew slowly South, silently. They ran across the street to one of their homes and had family take a look at the object. A brother got his camera and took several pictures. All stood there and watched as it stopped just above the southern horizon. The object hovered there for about ten seconds then shot straight up and disappeared. When the brother got the pictures back, they were too fuzzy. Today the playground no longer exists.
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August 1975
Franklin Go-Cart Track–Highway 41/27th Street: An employee of the Track noticed a black object in the sky, moving towards him. The object was quite close to the ground (under 500 feet). It was all black, had a circular bottom with a top that was slightly domed shaped. It moved silently with series of lights which were located on the outside of the craft and rotated clockwise. At first the employee thought it was an airplane that had just taken off from Mitchell Field or perhaps an airplane advertising a local radio station or even a blimp. However, when the employee tried to observe a message, there was no message, just lights circling the bottom outside rim of the craft. There were no visible markings on the craft. It moved from the South-Southeast over the 41-Twin outdoor theaters to the North-Northwest and passed about 100-150 yards from onlookers who were mesmerized at the sight. The employee asked co-workers what they saw and noticed the disbelief on their faces. In fact, about 60 to 100 people, waiting in line to ride, grew silent as they watched the object move slowly to the Northwest until it disappeared. Slowly activity at the park returned to normal.
March 1987
Waukesha’s Arcadian and Oakland Avenues: An unidentified flying object was spotted by a woman whose husband called the local newspaper to report her siting. Too embarrassed to talk about what she saw, her husband stated that as his wife pulled into her driveway at about 10:45 p.m. she spotted a triangular object with red and white lights hovering in the air less than a mile to the Northeast. The woman beeped the horn of her car to alert her husband but by the time he got outside the object was out of sight. A 1986 sighting, in the same area, matched the same general description. That motorist was convinced the object wasn't a plane or a helicopter. Area law officers and airports reported nothing unusual. Additionally, the Wisconsin National Guard and Army Reserve reported they had no helicopters in flight in the Waukesha area at those times.
October 1998
HWY 43W from Milwaukee to New Berlin: A couple witnessed disc shaped objects with two C shaped formations extending from each side, hovering motionless. Instantly the objects vanished. There was an identical report in Mosinee, ID where the motionless objects were in view for approximately seven minutes. These sightings were unnerving to the observers as they had never seen any such phenomena before.
April 2005
Milwaukee: While driving, a couple witnessed a house explosion on 16th and Lincoln Avenue. They parked and walked three blocks to get a closer look. The couple noticed a massive amount of black smoke. Looking up they observed a news helicopter hovering overhead. Just above the helicopter was a dark disc that was stationary for thirty seconds, then slowly moved north, tipping back and forth. They couldn’t identify any features on the disc because the sky above it was suddenly very bright. When the object got further away it began to ascend at a 45-degree angle. The object appeared to move faster after it changed its angle of light. The astonished couple was able to view the object for five minutes.
EPILOGUE
Alien life elsewhere in the universe is probable, but the likelihood of us detecting it is small. In our vast galaxy, no sign of alien life has been found. At best, planets have been detected. Nevertheless, as long as we observe and report phenomena in the sky, they will be considered UFOs.
“Goodbye for now... Nanu Nanu.”
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Photo: UFO Photo Archive
UFOs in Wisconsin
UFO photograph from Colfax, WI. In April 1978, Mr. S. (name witheld by specific request) and his girlfriend were driving in the vicinity of Tainter Lake, Wisconsin when they decided to stop and attempt some fishing. Instead they encountered a UFO and took pictures.
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Photo: UFO Photo Archive
UFOs in Wisconsin
UFO photographs from Colfax, WI. In April 1978, Mr. S. (name witheld by specific request) and his girlfriend were driving in the vicinity of Tainter Lake, Wisconsin when they decided to stop and attempt some fishing. Instead they encountered a UFO and took pictures.
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UFOs in Wisconsin
Benson's Hide-a-Way bar/restaurant sits on Long Lake in Campbellsport, Wis. It’s about a 30 minute drive from Fond du Lac. The owner, Bill Benson is a local registrar of UFO sightings. He keeps records and shares countless photos of the encounters with anyone who stops in.
