By Randi Gonzales
About
a quarter of a mile into the town of Alamosa, I pull into the parking lot of
a small Loaf'n'Jug. To my left, a green sign on the roadway reads “Hooper 17
mi.” Although, I have lived in Southern Colorado all of my life, I don't think
I have ever heard of the town, home to Judy Messoline and the UFO
Watchtower. Then again, I am in the mystical San Luis Valley, where anything
is possible.
I travel down the long, narrow Highway 17. The view in this busting agricultural region includes the snow-capped San Juan Mountains, winter-barren farmland in the foreground, and an occasional grazing cow. Yet, there is something strangely eerie about this drive. It is quiet--too quiet.
Known as the “Mysterious Valley,” this 50-mile-wide, 125-mile-long valley is home to many tales of paranormal activity. Indian legends claim that the area is a window into other worlds, and there have been hundreds of unexplained “sightings.” The UFO Computer Network Web site ranks Saguache County as No. 1 nationwide in reports of unearthly sightings per capita. Truth or not, thousands claim they are out there.
My fear subsides as a handmade smiling alien cutout points “This Way to the
UFO 
Watchtower.” Past
the gate, little green-painted alien figurines dot the entrance path. After
driving through the labyrintine entrance, I see a domed adobe gift shop, which
sits partly under the 10-foot tower. The gift shop contains anything alien,
from “alien
dust” to key chains. Not surprisingly, the degree of paranormality seems to
be greatly exaggerated. In the distance, is the home of the owner, Judy Messoline.
Judy Messoline never expected to get into the UFO business. She moved to Hooper in 1995 to fulfill her lifelong dream of cattle ranching. Her neighbors would tell her UFO stories and she would just giggle.
“I'd always heard the UFO stories, but I was skeptical. I mean, I have a hard time with the little green men theory,” Messoline said. She always joked about building a UFO Watchtower, but it wasn't until her cattle business failed that she seriously thought about building the tower. “Originally it was supposed to be a tourist trap thing…put cute little aliens on the road, tourists come in, buy from the gift shop.”
Judy Messoline's tower opened in May 2000, and people flocked to the tower, even in 20-below weather. Thousands have visited from all over the world and hundreds of abductees have come to tell their stories. Twenty-one sightings have been recorded, and of these, Judy has seen 15 herself. So is she a believer?
“I totally believe that there has to be life someplace else in this massive universe,” Messoline replies.
With all of the talk of sightings, I am disappointed at the lack of photos on display in the gift shop. One would expect that any place worthy of being called a UFO Hot Spot would boast a number of clear, unambiguous photos of the phenomena. I tell my inner skeptic to keep quiet as I move from the gift shop to what seems like a yard full of hubcaps and rocks.
In speaking with Messoline, I learn that the area is far more than just a hunk of junk. Since February, 2002 there have been 15 psychics who have visited the tower, and each has confirmed the presence of “vortexes,” or portals to parallel universes.
“Two psychics marked the centers for me and suggested that a garden be built so visitors could rest, relax, and meditate in it,” Messoline said. The result is a rock garden filled with hubcaps, remains of old satellite dishes, and industrial debris splotched with green paint.
The tower itself gleams as I approach the stairs. At the entrance a smiling alien replica holds a donation basket. Messoline had originally planned to charge admission to the tower, but the idea was never successful. I deposit my two dollars and climb the stairs. I have to admit, the atmosphere is strangely calming. The sky is clear and the heavenly bodies shine. After 20-minutes, my attempt to see any strange lights in the sky is a failure.
While the idea of flying saucers is to me still nothing more than the raw material of a good episode of The X-Files, thousands still flock to the watchtower every year, especially during the annual UFO Watch held in August.
Messoline thinks these gatherings are very important: “People who have had
these experiences need to be able to get together and talk about it without
anyone laughing at them. I didn't realize how serious the UFO business was.
Can you believe it? It all got started...from a giggle.”
The UFO Watchtower is on Colorado Highway 17, 2.5 miles north of Hooper. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.--although it stays open later if there's activity in the sky. Donations are welcomed and appreciated. For more information about the tower, log on to www.ufowatchtower.com .
