Nestled along the Charleston Hwy, the UFO Welcome Center stands out amid its mundane surrounding, featuring two spacecraft shaped structures stacked on each other, encircled by a ramshackle tin fence that is covered with spooky graffities.

Strewn in front of the building’s main façade and entrance are various objects that were accumulated over the course of the last two decades. No one will blame you for mistaking this incoherent medley with a junkyard belonging to a compulsive hoarder, yet apparently all of those items were carefully cherrypicked as a backdrop for a very ambitious goal.

With neither architects nor engineers being involved in the process, the 16-foot-tall and 46-foot-wide “center” was the brainchild of Jody Pendarvis, an eccentric local man from Bowman who constructed the building entirely by himself, aiming to create a reception center for celestial beings who happen to visit our planet. As ludicrous as this idea might first look for some of you, Jody strongly believes that his alien guests are on their way, so much so, that he dedicated more than twenty years of his life for this utterly spectacular project.

Among Jody’s collection of dysfunctional gadgets that greet visitors on their way to the center are a real spaceship fuel tank (on the left), salvaged by his father according to him, as well as an outdated radar device that was originally used by the military.

When the futuristic complex was constructed in 1994, it originally consisted of only a single saucer. It wasn’t until 2001, when Jody added the smaller saucer on top of the existing one, and shortly after moved there. Nevertheless, due to a lack of proper insulation, he returned to his adjacent trailer, where he lives to this day.

A pile of old computers, pieces of woods, plastic cords and metal sheets are only a fraction of the nonsensical junk visitors will encounter at the premises. But before you rush into unflattering conclusions, this decrepit mosaic of out-of-date equipment is also a fascinating time capsule as one can witness all sorts of devices we no longer use in today’s world.

You must be pondering, and rightly so, whether this makeshift structure that was never formally planned by an engineer is structurally sound, and so, you’ll probably be surprised to learn that according to Jody, a 2008 heavy storm that hit Bowman wreaked havoc on most of town while leaving this seemingly rickety building intact.

Jody Initially had a nearby entertainment business whereby he managed to finance the construction and maintenance of his dream project. However, his incessant supply of cash was short lived as local authorities were less thrilled about his business lacking any kind of permissions and safety measures, consequently forcing him to shut it down. Left with no choice, Jody decided to encourage his visitors to make a 20$ donation so he can keep preserve and expand his edifice.

If you thought for a moment that the mountains of trash around the building are abnormal, wait until you get inside as random pieces of just about anything are scattered all around.

Mr. Pendarvis claims that the wooden walkway can be folded to seal the entrance, the same way a medieval castle used a drawbridge to chase off any unwelcomed guests, which in Jody’s case mostly refers to uninvited trespassers, animals and humans alike, who opt to come at the middle of the night, when he might sleep over there.

Found amidst the countless LED strings, a series of weird and eerie phrases are daubed on some of the structure’s wooden beams, as if the complex was recently raided by a secret alien unit.

Not particularly noticeable but the lower saucer has wheels, which according to Jody are functional and were used in the past to move the all building back and forth to its current position.

The UFO welcome center’s precarious nature is perhaps most apparent from an indoor perspective. Because broken parts not removed each time a new structural element is added, the chaos is only getting bigger with each day passing.

The ground level is only navigable via a patchy footpath made of different sized boards assembled together. When you make your first steps along the walkway, you’ll probably notice a dysfunctional toilet bowl resting silently on the side, perhaps this amenity is intended to serve a species of aliens who magically can flush the toilet without the need of water.

Nestled on the first floor, the UFO welcome center’s guestbook is an attraction by its own right, with visitors who made their way from all over the country and beyond sharing their unfiltered thoughts about the place, some of which are also accompanied by cartoonish sketches of aliens.

Befitting a self-proclaimed UFO center, a plethora of UFO shaped knickknacks and depictions of alien figures stick out among the erratic hodgepodge of objects.

It seems unclear whether those second-hand toys were brought by Jody himself or by some of his most dedicated fans, one thing is certain, it well resonates with the center’s both chaotic and alien character.

If you wish to visit the structure’s upper levels, you’ll first have to cross a set of flimsy staircase and ladders, which according to a sign put by Jody in the backyard, are at your own risk.

Providing an access to the lower saucer’s third floor, a loosely bolted ladder is your only way upward, adding a pinch of anxiety to an already jittery experience.

The small diagonally slanted openings, which align with the overall shape of the spaceship structure, offer a somewhat unconventional perspective of the uninspiring Bowman’s street down below.

Last but not least, the smaller and upper saucer is accessible by yet another ladder, even less securely screwed than its previous counterpart, definitely not for the faint hearted, aliens and humans alike.

Perhaps the most striking and prominent feature of the upper saucer is its slanted walls, punctuated with dozens of round holes, where circle shaped glass panels were installed.

Jody revealed that the upper saucer is not bolted to the rest of the building, so when his celestial buddies come, they could carry him with the entire saucer to their home planet. While maybe in the far future that will happen, in the mean time you can spot the rural townscape of Bowman rather than the intergalactic space out of the irregular wide-open windows.

As previously told, Jody used to call this saucer attic a home just few years ago, yet as the messy cords suggest, the air conditioning along with other electricity-hungry devices were soon became a logistic challenge and so, nowadays, he only seldom chooses to spend the night at his hideaway.

With several skylights, it never really gets dark here during the day, offsetting the sense of perpetual insecurity that arises from the questionable structural soundness.

Despite its shaky nature and endless amounts of junk, the UFO Welcome Center is a fascinating place to explore in an otherwise dull town. Whereas aliens are tricky to spot, Jody will most probably pop up at one point, eager to converse about his lifetime passion with anyone whom he comes across with.