Extraterrestrial Sightings in Oregon

Mckenzie Gerdes

In the fall of 2020, I was driving with my family through Forest Grove, Oregon, when I saw what might have been an extraterrestrial aircraft in the sky. Above, in the picture I took with my iPhone, the sky is a bright blue-green color, and the clouds are gathered over the coastal range. Upon further inspection, just above the telephone wire, there is a completely straight line, possibly beaming down from something behind the clouds. I cannot explain what this is, but it is certainly strange, and perhaps even extraterrestrial.

In the vast expanse of the universe, could extraterrestrials really exist? Quite a few Oregonians believe so, and they have stories and experiences to back up those claims.

Photo courtesy: Science History Images-Alamy Stock Pho

One of the most famous photographs ever taken of a UFO was shot at a farm outside of McMinnville, Oregon. In the summer of 1950, farmers Evelyn and Paul Trent witnessed a circular, metal spacecraft hovering above their property. Journalist Douglas Perry for The Oregonian said Evelyn was the first to spot it, ran to get her husband and the camera, and took the pictures that would end up in the Oregon newspaper (and eventually, “Life” magazine).

As for the validity of this sighting, extraterrestrial enthusiasts will be happy to know that the image above was examined by a renowned nuclear physicist at the time, Edward U. Condon. Perry said this physicist frequently disproved UFO sightings he scientifically examined, but the Trents’ photograph was “difficult to explain in a conventional way,” as reported by Condon himself.

Between 2001 and 2015, Oregon had official reports of 3,013 UFO sightings, said Brian Kosciesza for KGW8. In addition, Kosciesza said, there were many reports in the 80s and 90s of Oregonians seeing strange sights, hearing unexplainable sounds, and finding crop circles on farmlands with no roads leading to them.

Oregonians and out-of-staters alike can indulge their fascination with extraterrestrial beings by visiting the famous, annual McMenamins UFO Fest in McMinnville. This event first started in 1999 at McMenamins Hotel Oregon to commemorate the Trent sightings and photographs. It involves a three day celebration, with speakers, a parade, a 5k run, and a “landing” party.