Author Raymond Szymanski will present new witness testimony related to the March 1966 “Swamp Gas” UFO sightings during events scheduled for March 20 and 21, 2026, at the Dexter District Library. The appearances mark the 60th anniversary of the widely publicized sightings in Washtenaw County.
The March 1966 incidents, commonly referred to as the “Swamp Gas” UFO sightings, involved multiple reports of unexplained lights and objects in the sky over Washtenaw County, including areas near Dexter and Ann Arbor. Dozens of residents, including law enforcement officers and college students, reported seeing glowing objects hovering or moving erratically. The sightings drew national media attention and prompted an investigation by the U.S. Air Force’s Project Blue Book. During the inquiry, astronomer J. Allen Hynek suggested that some of the reported sightings may have been caused by ignited marsh gas, a comment that led to widespread criticism and the enduring nickname for the events.
Szymanski, who has written extensively about the 1966 incidents, said he has spent the past several years identifying and interviewing individuals who reported witnessing unusual aerial phenomena during that time. Portions of recorded video interviews with selected witnesses will be included in the presentation.
According to Szymanski, witnesses include siblings who reported seeing an object land on their lawn, residents who described a large craft hovering over treetops, and others who recalled close-range sightings near rural roads and local lakes. The accounts are part of ongoing efforts to document personal experiences connected to the 1966 events.
Additional appearances are planned throughout the year. On May 2, Szymanski is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at Michigan Mutual UFO Network’s (MUFON) 60th Anniversary Swamp Gas UFO Conference at the Kilgour Scottish Centre in Troy. From Aug. 28–30, he is slated to serve as a presenter and panelist at the MUFON International UFO Conference at the Covington Convention Center in Covington, Kentucky. His books will be available for purchase at each event.
The Dexter program will follow this schedule:
- 30 minutes of book sales
- 75-minute presentation
- 20-minute question-and-answer session
- 30 additional minutes of book sales, time permitting
The event is open to the public but registration is required. See link below.
Location: Dexter District Library, 3255 Alpine St., Dexter
Time: 6:30 pm Fri. March 20, and 2:30 pm Sat. March 21
Register at https://dexter.lib.mi.us/events/
Featured image: Front page of the Dexter Leader, March 31, 1966. Image: Dexter District Library Archives
8123 Main St Suite 200 Dexter, MI 48130
