In a remote desert of Nevada, a facility stands and is concealed by the shadow of the government. It is a place of top-secret projects, and full of hidden agendas. Here no outsider is permitted to step through its gates. This building is the infamous Groom Lake, or more prevalently known as Area 51. It has many names such as Dreamland, Watertown Strip, Paradise Ranch, and The Box given by the group of workers at their period of time working there.
For years, the world has wondered why the government has set up such a secretive base. Other countries have even had surveillance from satellites on this area. It is a classified place the government never wishes to escape its grasp. Our government has kept Area 51 shrouded in secrecy and the public has never, and may never know its true purpose.
Area 51 is located in Lincoln County, Nevada at 37° 14'20”N 115° 48'58”W. [1] Area 51 is a part of the Nellis Range Complex (NRC), which is a restricted land and includes “no fly zones.” It is owned by the United States Department of Defense and the United States Air Force. Area 51 is approximately a 60 square mile base that sits on the dried up Groom Lake (giving it one of its names). Groom Lake shares a border with the Yucca Flats Region of the Nevada Tests Site (NTS). This is where the tests and storage of nuclear weapons takes place. Area 51 was built during World War II and was used for bombing and artillery practice. But after the War, it was left abandoned.
In 1955, however, it (Renamed as “Watertown Strip” by a commander's home town, then named as “Paradise Ranch,” or just “The Ranch” by workers) was reopened as a secret test sight for spy planes. There was a puny team of personnel, undersized buildings, and petite homes provided for their stay. The dried lakebed was used as the runway, ensuring that less would be spent on building a new one. In 1970, projects in Groom Lake expanded, as did the base when USAF Systems Command took over. Toward 1980, the base expanded once again. This is about the time when most projects here went top-secret. All developments went under the public radar to a status of “unknown”.
Although, what is known is that a larger runway was added, most buildings were expanded plus the construction of some new ones. Also, the workers at Groom Lake jumped to a total of about 2000. At McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, EG&G operate daily shuttles to government areas in Nevada. These Boeing 737-200 aircrafts, painted white with red trim, are said to use JANET as a call sign, either meaning “Joint Air Network for Employee Transportation,” or perhaps the government is toying with us and its name may mean “Just Another Non-Existent Terminal.” Some of these airlines, registered to the United States Air Force, even fly to Groom Lake. Meaning, workers fly in to Area 51 everyday. For the commuting workers, there is, reportedly, a white bus that travels to Groom Lake every morning.
Area 51 is surrounded by intense security. About four years after the expansion of 1980, security also grew to new levels. The Nellis Range Complex (NRC) was expanded to cut off the view of the base from the mountains. But a mistake left some area still visible. The area was revised again to include the forgotten land. Whenever you drive down the road leading to Area 51, maybe just passing by, you will notice warning signs everywhere you look. Most include statements that photography is not permitted. This even includes just pointing a camera in the direction of the base! The signs also have bolded words saying that deadly force is authorized.
Even before you come close to the checkpoint of Area 51, you will notice guards following you in desert camouflage Jeeps and Fords from the hills above the side of the road. Sometimes you will see FLIR-equipped Sikorsky MH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters following in the air. You may wonder, “How did they know I was even here?” Well, under and along the side of the roads leading to area 51, there are futuristic sensors that notify security when a car drives along the road. You may even spot a surveillance cameras hanging from a cactus! These guards carry M16s but throughout Area 51's existence, there have been no reported deaths caused from violation of any terms. The usual course of action is a fine of $600 payment and you could end up with a visit from FBI agents questioning you on your reason for trespassing or any other violation of warnings. [1]
The age-old query that all mankind has forever pondered, “Are we alone in this universe?” The thought that life throughout an endless universe has only occurred once on our special planet has been a commonly held idea. But still, our imaginative minds have wandered to thoughts of far off galaxies and planets of extra-terrestrial life with scientific advances of which we can only dream. The proof of that possible life has yet to surface. The evidence of this, some theorize, is hidden away from the public eye by government secrecy. They believe Area 51 is the holding ground for aliens and their spacecrafts that the government has recovered from crash sites such as the Roswell in 1947. Next, scientists capture the aliens and perform autopsies on them at Area 51.
