Roswell, 1947
The Roswell Incident is set in Roswell, New Mexico, in July 1947—just days after something mysterious has crashed in the desert.
That gives you plenty of inspiration for decorating your home for a Roswell murder mystery party.
As the game is set before anyone really knows what’s going on, we suggest you recreate small-town 1940s America instead of embracing the UFO mythology that made Roswell famous.
You don’t need to transform your entire home. A few signs, period props and mysterious documents can quickly establish the atmosphere.
Create 1947 Roswell
Start by giving your party a distinctly 1940s feel. Roswell was a relatively small American town, so aim for everyday post-war America rather than anything too glamorous.
Try adding:
- Old newspapers and magazines
- A vintage-style radio
- Black-and-white photographs
- Old-fashioned telephones
- Typewriters
- Glass bottles and jars
- Wooden crates and boxes
- Enamel mugs
- Old maps
- Period-style advertisements and signs
If modern technology is visible, disguise or remove the most obvious items where practical.
Even putting phones away for the evening can help create the illusion that you’ve gone back to 1947.
Bring the New Mexico desert indoors
Roswell sits amid the wide-open landscape of southeastern New Mexico. Browns, sandy colours and faded greens can give your room a desert feel.
Use hessian or burlap, rough wooden boxes, rope, old blankets and weathered-looking containers as decorations. Add a few artificial cacti or desert plants if you have them.
A large printed map of New Mexico makes an excellent wall decoration.
Turn part of your home into Roswell
A few homemade signs can transform different parts of your house into locations around town.
You might create signs for:
- Roswell Sheriff’s Office
- Parking Lot
- Suzie’s Diner
- Jimmie’s Diner
- Dr. Blake’s Practice
- Turner’s Ranch
- Karns’ Junkyard
- Roswell Army Air Field
- Turner’s Ranch
Some of these locations are places where the characters start the game.
You don’t need separate rooms for all of these. Pinning a sign above a door, table or corner is enough to suggest another location.
Use 1940s music
Music is one of the easiest ways to establish the period.
Look for swing, big band and popular American music from the mid-to-late 1940s. Keep it fairly quiet once the game begins so that everyone can hear conversations.
For an extra touch, occasionally interrupt the music with a crackling radio announcement about strange events around Roswell.
Food and drink
Simple American food works well with the setting. Burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, pies, popcorn and doughnuts all fit comfortably with the atmosphere without requiring an elaborate themed menu.
Serve soft drinks in glass bottles if you can, and use simple glasses, enamel mugs or diner-style crockery.
Don’t overdo it
The best decorations for The Roswell Incident aren’t necessarily the most elaborate. Concentrate on a few strong visual ideas: 1940s newspapers and New Mexico maps, for example.
Then add your costumed reporters, soldiers, scientists, FBI agents and suspicious citizens—and let the mysteries of Roswell begin.
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