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Aurora Cemetery gate.

Space Alien Buried Here

Field review by the editors.

Aurora, Texas

Aurora Cemetery may contain the most important grave in the world, or it may simply be that historical markers in Texas are more open-minded than those in other states. Whatever the reason, the official plaque outside of this graveyard does mention that it might contain the grave of a pilot of a "spaceship" that crashed nearby on April 17, 1897.

Newspaper accounts at the time reported that the alien craft hit a windmill and was torn to pieces, along with its occupant. A 1986 movie, Aurora Encounter, recreates the tale. In 1972 scientists wanted to dig up the grave; they were blocked by the cemetery association because exhumations can only be authorized by next of kin.

Cemetery historical marker.

Everyone agrees that the tombstone, if there ever was one, is gone now, and so there's nothing to see here except the plaque (Though there's a consolation grave marker, if you can find it, for "Loreta The World's Talking Bird"). In 2010 an ad hoc "tombstone" with a UFO scratched into it mysteriously appeared in the cemetery, but it vanished just as mysteriously in 2012.

The historical marker also mentions that Aurora was "struck by epidemic and crop failure and bypassed by the railroad." No connection is made between these calamities and the decomposing body of an ET in the town boneyard, but we suspect that that omission was just to avoid panic -- because historical markers always tell the truth.

At some point, for reasons not explained in the historical marker, the alien began to be referred to as "Ned."

The Historical Marker's full text:

Aurora Cemetery

The oldest known graves, here, dating from as early as the 1860s, are those of the Randall and Rowlett families. Finis Dudley Beauchamp (1825-1893), a Confederate veteran from Mississippi, donated the 3-acre site to the newly- formed Aurora Lodge No. 479, A.F. & A.M., in 1877. For many years, this community burial ground was known as Masonic Cemetery. Beauchamp, his wife Caroline (1829-1915), and others in their family. An epidemic which struck the village in 1891 added hundreds of graves to the plot. Called "Spotted Fever" by the settlers, the disease is now thought to be a form of meingitis. Located in Aurora Cemetery is the gravestone of the infant Nellie Burris (1891-1893) with its often-quoted epitaph: "As I was so soon done, I don't know why I was begun." This site is also well-known because of the legend that a spaceship crashed nearby in 1897 and the pilot, killed in the crash, was buried here. Struck by epidemic and crop failure and bypassed by the railroad, the original town of Aurora almost disappeared, but the cemetery remains in use with over 800 graves. Veterans of the Civil War, World Wars I and II, and the Korean and Vietnam conflicts are interred here.

Also see: Creatures Guide: Space Aliens

Space Alien Buried Here

Aurora Cemetery

Address:
Cemetery Rd, Aurora, TX
Directions:
Aurora Cemetery. US 81/287 in Rhome, exit onto Hwy 114. West 1.5 miles, then south a half-mile on Cemetery Rd. The cemetery and marker (when it hasn't been stolen) are on the left side.
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