Certainly there have been many sightings of the mysterious airship that were flying over New England in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I have some news clippings that occurred in the towns I grew up in the 1950s-70s.
I grew up in Newburyport, and Salisbury, MA.
In the 1950s and 1960s, I was just coming of age where I was curious. My great grandmother was a spirit medium and she died when I was about 6 years old. But I still remember her rocking me.
But in the late 1950s to the 1960s something was stirring in me - The massive influx of UFOs.
About 1960 or so I took out a lot of UFO books and joined a few UFO investigation groups to work as a UFO investigator. That pushed me into the enigmatic world of this weird and strange world of being a ufologist. But I loved an enigma.
Here are some of the reports that I found and some that were sent to me by some of my sources.
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut..
NEWBURYPORT NEWS - Dec 24, 1909:
The strange light that has appeared in the heavens in the vicinity of Boston and Worcester for the past 2-3 nights made its appearance over Salisbury this morning at 3 AM, coming from the direction of this city, and within a short distance of the Salisbury Beach life saving station it apparently "switched off" in the direction of Amesbury and disappeared.
Surfman Osler of the beach station had not been out long when he was startled by seeing a light much larger then a star coming rapidly from the west. He watched it until it was over Salisbury square (about a 5 minute walk from my dad's house) as he judged it and then it seemed to stop, then continued on to the beach.
When about over the Station it shot in the direction of Amesbury and in a few minutes was out of sight. The light is described as white and about the size of an automobile head light. It was up about 1,000 feet and could be seen plainly as the sky was clear.
No framework behind it, such as an airplane have, could be seen, but Mr. Osler is positive that the light could not be that of a balloon as it moved as if under control.
To continue: When the news that the light made its appearance in Salisbury spread in this city this morning, the people took it as a big joke. In Worcester the first person who breathlessly spread the report that a flying machine was passing over the city was thought to be out of his mind, but a few hours later more then 5,000 people had the opportunity to witness the strange light in its return.
NEWBURYPORT NEWS - Dec 27 1909:
The news story of the strange light being seen over Salisbury Friday morning aroused much interest that when Friday night came, many were on the watch to see if it would appear again. They were rewarded early in the evening, for by 7 o'clock it appeared from the direction of Amesbury and for nearly an hour it circled the city.
Shortly after 7 pm, a newspaper reporter was standing on the Newburyport bridge when a strange light made its appearance near the chain bridge and it seemed its course from west to east. When nearly opposite the Towle factory, red and blue lights were visible and they were nearer the earth than the night before.
Swiftly following the river course, it made for the mouth of the river and when a short distance from the point switched around and came directly over the city. Many a Plum Island resident who witnessed the sight, state that a tail light could be seen.
Those fortunate enough to see the light say that at all times it seemed to be under control of a human being as it shifted its course many times. The last glimpses were obtained when it went in the direction of West Newbury.
Portsmouth NH, has also seen a strange cream-colored light looking like a lantern. The people believed that it was a signal light attached to the airship.
It was seen very plainly Friday evening, and it is thought it came to this city.
Between Portsmouth and Dover NH, hundreds of people have reported that they saw the light, not only on Friday night, but for the past two or three nights.
