EPISODE · Feb 10, 2026 · 38 MIN
Phantom Airships of 1896–97: Lights, Hoaxes, and Martian Tales
from Good Company in the Car: The Bigfoot and Murder and Everything Else Podcast · host goodcompanyinthecar
This episode explores the 1896–1897 mystery airship wave across the United States: thousands of reported nighttime lights and dramatic accounts of airborne craft, alleged crews, and even Martian visitors. It traces the sightings from Sacramento through the Midwest, examines explanations (hoaxes, misidentifications, secret inventors, and early aviation), and looks at how newspapers and later UFO enthusiasts shaped the story.
What this episode covers
This episode explores the 1896–1897 mystery airship wave across the United States: thousands of reported nighttime lights and dramatic accounts of airborne craft, alleged crews, and even Martian visitors. It traces the sightings from Sacramento through the Midwest, examines explanations (hoaxes, misidentifications, secret inventors, and early aviation), and looks at how newspapers and later UFO enthusiasts shaped the story.
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Phantom Airships of 1896–97: Lights, Hoaxes, and Martian Tales
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