The First Famous Alien Abduction Happened in New Hampshire

Editor's note: This article was written by a Townsquare Media Northern New England contributor and may contain the individual's views, opinions, or personal experiences.

Many of us visit the White Mountains in New Hampshire to relax, shop, and just get away. However, there may be more than just other humans that visit the White Mountains.

Next time you drive through the White Mountains you may want to keep your eyes on the sky for any strange beams of light because the mountains are actually home to the first famous alien abduction.

According to History, back on September 19, 1961, Betty and Barney Hill claimed to have been abducted by a UFO while driving through a rural area near Indian Head.

News Center Maine states that this abduction of the couple from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, became the "country's first widely publicized alien abduction account" and that their story "went on to shape the perception of extraterrestrials and popular culture."

Now, what makes this case even more unique is that it was the first time for many things.

According to Bryce Zabel's post on Medium.com, Betty and Barney Hill made history by having the first claim in the United States of an alien abduction, the first reported case of missing time, the Hills were also the first people to use hypnotic regression to recover abduction memories, they also shared the first public description of aliens, and it was also the first time that a couple claimed a simultaneous abduction.

So, what actually happened to Betty and Barney Hill?

According to News Center Maine, the couple was driving home from their honeymoon in Montreal. While they were driving through the White Mountains, they claimed to have been followed by what seemed like a spotlight. They decided to pull over and then noticed that there was a UFO ship above their car.

After noticing the ship and looking into the light, the couple blacked out.

When they awoke, they claim to have been back in their car, miles down the road, with no memory of the past two hours.

Not only that, but New Center Maine states that when the couple got home, they noticed strange marks on their car, as well as Betty's dress zipper was torn and stained.

For a while, the couple kept quiet about what happened to them, however, they ended up experiencing nightmares and anxiety. Due to their nightmares, they participated in hypnosis to determine if there were any suppressed memories of what happened, and there were.

According to News Center Maine, the hypnotist recorded the session and the stories were beyond creepy. Betty and Barney recalled boarding a "saucer-like aircraft," they were taken into separate rooms and were physically evaluated.

Betty and Barney's case was the first to receive major public attention, which later led to a book and a television movie.

There is even a state historical marker commemorating this instance at the alleged abduction spot.