Close Encounters in Georgia

In October 1969, the small town of Leary, Georgia experienced an intense UFO flap with hundreds of residents reporting close encounters over several weeks. Governor Jimmy Carter reported his own UFO sighting around the same time.

The Town

Leary, Georgia:

• Small southwest Georgia town
• Agricultural community
• Population ~800
• Rural area
• Regional hotspot

The Wave

October 1969:

• Multiple nights
• Dozens of sightings
• Various witnesses
• Close encounters
• Community affected

What They Saw

Residents reported:

• Bright lights
• Structured craft
• Low altitude
• Landing attempts
• Beings seen

Police Involvement

Officers witnessed:

• Multiple sightings
• Chased objects
• Couldn’t catch them
• Filed reports
• Credible witnesses

Close Encounters

Some residents:

• Very close sightings
• Landed objects
• Humanoid figures
• Physical effects
• Terrifying

Jimmy Carter Connection

Same period:

• Then-Governor Carter
• Reported UFO sighting
• Lions Club meeting
• 1969
• Different location

Community Response

Leary residents:

• Initially excited
• Then frightened
• Media descended
• Tourism briefly
• Long-term effects

Investigation

Researchers visited:

• Interviewed witnesses
• Documented cases
• Found consistent accounts
• Multiple independent witnesses
• Well-documented

Duration

The flap lasted:

• Several weeks
• October-November 1969
• Regular sightings
• Then subsided
• Concentrated event

National Attention

Media covered:

• Local and regional
• Some national
• Wire services
• Brief spotlight
• Then forgotten

The Carter Factor

His sighting:

• Separate but related
• Same time period
• Same state
• Later reported officially
• Adds context

Significance

Intense rural UFO flap with police witnesses during period when future president also reported a sighting.

Legacy

The Leary flap represents one of Georgia’s most intense UFO events, with credible witnesses and the coincidental timing with Jimmy Carter’s reported sighting.