The Winthrop Hotel in Tacoma, Washington, was a mid-20th century establishment that played a pivotal role in one of America's most significant early UFO investigations. Built in downtown Tacoma, the hotel served as the headquarters for the investigation into the Maury Island incident of June 1947, just weeks before the famous Roswell event. The modest multi-story building housed the crucial meetings between witnesses Harold Dahl and Fred Crisman, UFO investigator Kenneth Arnold, and Army Air Force intelligence officers Captain William Davidson and Lieutenant Frank Brown in late July 1947. Located approximately 30 miles south of Seattle, the hotel sat in Tacoma's urban core, providing a discrete venue for what would become one of the most controversial UFO cases in American history.
Harold Dahl reports UFO encounter and alleged slag material recovery at Maury Island
Kenneth Arnold, Captain Davidson, and Lieutenant Brown conduct witness interviews at Winthrop Hotel
Army Air Force B-25 crashes shortly after departing Tacoma, killing both intelligence officers
Hotel becomes focal point for UFO researchers studying early government involvement in aerial phenomena investigations
“They had actually come out, conducted interviews at the Winthrop Hotel in Tacoma of the witnesses, and they were provided samples of this slag-like material.”
While not an archaeological site in the traditional sense, the Winthrop Hotel represents a crucial location in the documentation of early UFO phenomena and government response. Historical research has confirmed that Kenneth Arnold, the pilot whose Mount Rainier sighting coined the term 'flying saucer,' did indeed meet with Army Air Force intelligence officers at this location in late July 1947. The hotel served as a temporary command center for the military investigation into Harold Dahl's claims of encountering six donut-shaped aircraft near Maury Island.
Documentary evidence supports the presence of Captain William Davidson and Lieutenant Frank Brown at the hotel, where they interviewed witnesses and reportedly received physical samples of alleged extraterrestrial slag material. Contemporary military records confirm that both officers were killed when their B-25 bomber crashed near Kelso, Washington, on August 1, 1947, shortly after departing McChord Field. The timing of this crash, occurring immediately after their UFO investigation, has fueled decades of speculation about potential cover-ups.
Historians and UFO researchers have extensively documented the events at the Winthrop Hotel through witness testimonies, military records, and newspaper accounts from the period. The case is notable for being one of the first instances of official military involvement in UFO investigations, predating Project Blue Book by several years. What remains genuinely mysterious is the nature of the physical evidence allegedly recovered and whether the subsequent deaths of the investigating officers were truly coincidental.
The Maury Island incident occurred just three days after Kenneth Arnold's famous Mount Rainier UFO sighting that coined the term 'flying saucer'
Captain Davidson and Lieutenant Brown were among the first military intelligence officers officially assigned to investigate UFO reports
The slag material allegedly recovered from the incident was described as being unlike any known terrestrial metal
The case inspired elements of the popular X-Files television series, particularly the theme of government agents dying under suspicious circumstances
The original Winthrop Hotel building may no longer exist or may have been significantly modified since 1947, as downtown Tacoma has undergone substantial redevelopment over the decades. Visitors interested in UFO history can explore the general area of downtown Tacoma where these historic events unfolded. The nearby Museum of Flight in Seattle contains exhibits related to early aviation and may have materials relevant to the 1947 investigations.
Tacoma itself is the major city, located approximately 30 miles south of Seattle.
Tacoma is accessible year-round, with mild Pacific Northwest weather making spring through fall the most comfortable seasons for exploration. Summer months offer the clearest conditions for visiting related sites in the region.
White Sands Proving Ground
Early military testing site for experimental aircraft and potential connection to 1940s aerial phenomena investigations
37th Parallel (Global UFO Superhighway)
Proposed corridor of high UFO activity that encompasses the Pacific Northwest region where the Maury Island incident occurred
Norton Air Force Base, California
Military installation involved in early UFO investigations and intelligence gathering during the same period as the Tacoma events