A UFO sighting in a small town — doesn’t that sound like the makings of a great sci-fi movie? Yet it’s very possibly what happened in the small town of Wytheville, Virginia in 1987. Interestingly, it wasn’t the only sighting this town has reported. In fact, there have been thousands of reports of UFO sightings in Virginia in this small New River Valley community. How fascinating is that? Here’s more on the notorious UFO sighting of 1987.

Welcome to Wytheville! Established in 1790, it's the only town in the world that bears this name (which is pronounced WITH-ville).
Mark Warner / Wikipedia
The town, established as the Wythe County seat, was named in honor of George Wythe, who was one of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence. Almost immediately, travelers were drawn to the area to escape the heat of summer and enjoy the beautiful mountain air.
DwayneP / Wikipedia
Today, Wytheville is still famous for its beautiful outdoor attractions, as well as its yearly hot air balloon festival, called the Chautauqua Festival.
peggydavis66 / Wikipedia

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Yet there's something else this town has quickly become famous for in the past few decades: UFO sightings in Virginia.
DwayneP / Wikipedia
On October 7, 1987, a man by the name of Sheriff Wayne Pike shared a most unexpected account of a UFO encounter with Danny Gordon at WYVE Radio.
The previous night, a total of five police officers had spotted strange red and green lights flashing over Fort Chiswell. Each of the officers had military training, and couldn't have been fooled easily by the night sky.
Aitor Diago / Getty Images
Danny Gordon was fascinated by this story and shared it on his local station. The result was completely astounding: hundreds of calls flooded in from residents who had their own unique UFO sighting stories to share, and they were eager for an explanation.

Gordon was blown away by the traction of the story. And then, in another fascinating turn of events, he spotted something himself one night while traveling with a friend on US Route 21. They both saw a small, mysterious red sphere floating above a few houses before returning to an unidentified aircraft and then vanishing.
Gordon shared his encounter, and news reporters began flocking to Wytheville for more coverage.
Visit Wytheville / Facebook
So why were there so many reported UFO sightings in Wytheville during the late 1980s? The answer is still unclear, although it is downright fascinating -- and a bit eerie.
Visit Wytheville / Facebook

Are you curious to learn more? You can read Don’t Look Up!: The Real Story Behind the Virginia UFO Sightings by Danny B. Gordon and Paul Dellinger for more first-hand accounts of these UFO sightings in Virginia.

And, if you’re curious to explore the area yourself, check out these unique vacation rentals near Wytheville, Virginia.

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