January 23 in strange history

4 strange events from history happened on January 23, plus 42 Canadian UFO sightings.

1869
In the old newspapers
A hideous beast killed in the Illinois bottoms
Jerseyville, Illinois
Hunters in the Illinois River bottoms west of Jerseyville said they caught and killed a monster they could not decide was an animal or a reptile. It had a back like a skunk's and a rough brown belly.
1909
In the old newspapers
Now called the flying hoof
Burlington, New Jersey
From Burlington came word that the creature, now nicknamed the flying hoof and given horse's legs and enormous wings, was still being reported by sober citizens.
1909
In the old newspapers
The devil shot in a Smyrna stable yard
Smyrna, Delaware
After Jersey Devil tracks were found in the snow in two Mount Vernon Street yards, a stable driver in Smyrna was persuaded the creature was in the transportation company's yard and shot it. The Smyrna Times reported it as a joke played on him.
1974
Famous UFO case
The Berwyn Mountain "crash"
Cadair Berwyn, near Llandrillo, Wales
A bang and lights on a Welsh mountain led to claims of a UFO crash and a cover-up, the 'Roswelsh incident'.

Canadian UFO sightings on January 23

The Canadian UFO Survey logged 42 sightings on January 23 between 1989 and today, most in 1993 (9). Most came from British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta.

2014 · Burnaby, British Columbia · Daylight disc
5 V shaped lights in sky with one blinking light
2016 · Charny, Quebec · Daylight disc, 2 witnesses
Two flying orange spheres flying at low altitude
1991 · Richmond, British Columbia · Daylight disc
Object like "flying soup bowl"
2001 · Vancouver, British Columbia · Daylight disc, 2 witnesses
Huge" cylindrical object with "falling leaf motion"
2013 · Devon, Alberta · Daylight disc, 2 witnesses
Bronze disc 10-12 feet across hovering and rotating in sky
2024 · Sherbrooke, Quebec · Daylight disc
Photo: odd object moving quickly in blue sky

Source: the Canadian UFO Survey, Ufology Research. Explore every Canadian sighting.

The US Air Force opened 663 Project Blue Book files for sightings in January, 1947 to 1969. Browse the Air Force files.