The UFO Welcome Center in Bowman, South Carolina, was an eccentric roadside attraction created by Jody Pendarvis in his backyard. Begun in 1994, the giant saucer-like structure stood 46 feet across on four columns and was imagined as a recovery stop for extraterrestrial visitors, with Pendarvis styling himself as their ambassador. Inside, it combined salvaged mechanical and electronic materials with household comforts, and over time he added a smaller saucer on top and spent summers living there. The site gained local and wider attention, developed a paid admission, and became part of Pendarvis’s public legend before fire destroyed it on May 9, 2024.