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The Mysterious But True Windshield Damage Epidemic Of 1954
Mass hysteria broke out when widespread reports of vandalism to windshields began rapidly accumulating
Communities can get worked up over an incredibly wide range of things. This can include outrage over the new color a school has been painted, or bewilderment over potholes not being repaired. However, few things evolve into mass hysteria. Unfortunately, that’s what happened in 1954 when widespread panic proliferated around the Seattle area and beyond over the vast number of windshields receiving unexplained damage — a phenomenon that became known as the Seattle Windshield Pitting Epidemic.
The trouble began in March 1954 when a number of residents of Bellingham, a small city in Washington State, began noticing unexplained pitting, holes, and dings on their car windshields. At first, police speculated that the damage was the work of vandals armed with BB guns. However, as similar vandalism spread into other towns, it became evident that something else entirely was unfolding.
By mid-April, the “pitting epidemic” had reached Seattle, and local newspapers began featuring the strange occurrences. Reports of damaged windshields surged as more and more people became convinced that their cars had fallen victim to the mysterious…
