THE UFO INCIDENT THAT DIVIDED A TOWN: The Controversial Berkshire Flying Saucer Encounter of 1969

On September 1, 1969, strange lights descended on the small town of Sheffield, Massachusetts, witnessed by approximately 40 residents including children, shop owners, and even the police chief's son. The mysterious aerial phenomenon would spark decades of debate, dividing the community between those who believed something extraordinary happened that night and those who wished the whole thing would just go away.Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE for the ad-free version: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicateTake the WEIRD DARKNESS LISTENER SURVEY and help mold the future of the podcast: https://weirddarkness.com/surveyIN THIS EPISODE: On September 1, 1969, about 40 people in Berkshire County, Massachusetts reported seeing a UFO — and one boy named Thomas Reed claimed that he and his family were all taken aboard. (The Berkshire County UFO) *** 
On the south-west corner of Carfax, in Oxford, a small, inconspicuous inscription on the side of an old building marks the site of one of the bloodiest bar fights in history… and I’ll tell you the story. (The Bad Beer Brawl) *** On June 28, 1914, while riding in a limousine, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were killed by an assassin. As if that were not horrific enough, the incident triggered World War One. Ever since, the limousine is considered cursed, and few people who have come into contact with the car since then have survived. But why? (The Cursed Car That Started WW1) *** The radio station is officially known as “MDZhB” in Russia. It’s been continually broadcasting since 1982. And no one knows why. Because, you see… nobody works there… so who is doing the broadcasting? (The Radio Station Run By Ghosts)CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Lead-In00:01:40.454 = Show Open00:03:54.193 = Berkshire UFO Incident00:13:37.055 = Cursed Car That Started World War 100:19:51.394 = Bad Beer Brawl00:26:54.949 = Radio Station Run By Ghosts00:41:08.320 = Show CloseSOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…“The Berkshire County UFO” by Natasha Ishak for All That’s Interesting: https://tinyurl.com/ybhqlyh3, and Debra Kelly for Grunge: https://tinyurl.com/y29ha5w5.“The Bad Beer Brawl” by Kaushik Patowary for Amusing Planet: https://tinyurl.com/y43tnnm8“The Cursed Car That Started WW1” by Ellen Lloyd for Ancient Pages: https://tinyurl.com/y4f36zyy“The Radio Station Run By Ghosts” by Zaria Gorvett for BBC: https://tinyurl.com/uhyatpu=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: August 11, 2020EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/BerkshireUFOABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.#BerkshireUFO #UFOsighting #MassachusettsUFO #UnexplainedMysteries #TrueStory