The Area 51 is a military base in the Nevada desert. It is also known as Dreamland and Watertown.
10 Things You Didn't Know about the Area 51 in Nevada
1. The US government operates a secret underground facility at the site of what was originally a remote test site for nuclear weapons, called Dreamland, which opened on April 26, 1951.
10 Things You Didn't Know about the Area 51 in Nevada
2. The United States Air Force's 57th Fighter Weapons Wing (FW) "The Wolf Pack" is currently stationed at this facility.
3. It's location has been classified since it was first built and remains so today to this day despite its proximity to Las Vegas and McCarran International Airport, which are both publically accessible areas of public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). and Clark County.
4. The base includes a small airstrip, which has been used for classified aircraft rentals and emergency landings, as well as emergency diversion airports.
10 Things You Didn't Know about the Area 51 in Nevada
5. In 2007, Texas Congressman Ron Paul requested that the Department of Energy (DOE) declassify all information about the site and release it to his office for public review. DOE denied the request citing that it was not in the public interest.
6. The Desert Research Institute operates a domestic classified laboratory at the site.
7. It is also the home of what is referred to as "Dreamland Canyon," a popular destination for hikers, climbers and other outdoor enthusiasts who visit the park managed by Eastern Nevada Land Management Bureau (ENLMB). Canyon lands are a subdivision of the Nevada Test and Training Range which has been used since the 1950s for military testing. "Dreamland Canyon" is one of several sites at NTS that have been designated as being recognized as a "natural wonder." The NTS is an area of land about in size that is located in southeastern Nevada. The site was a part of the United States Army's Test and Training Range (known as the Nevada Test Site) from 1951 to 1962, which was operated by the Army Corps of Engineers. In 1963, it became a part of the Federal Republic of Las Vegas designated as "Northeastern Nevada Test and Training Range." In 1983, the federal government transferred management of it to ENLMB.
8. The National Atomic Testing Museum has been designated as a museum site by the Atomic Heritage Foundation, an organization that promotes education about atomic history and nuclear weapons. The museum is housed in two buildings on the north side of ground zero (the detonation point for the atomic bomb).
10 Things You Didn't Know about the Area 51 in Nevada
9. The National Atomic Testing Museum protects its grounds from unauthorized access and has a security fence, locked gates, and 24-hour surveillance. Visitors are not allowed to enter the site without prior permission of staff at the museum.
10. The National Atomic Testing Museum holds art exhibits that include paintings by famed artist Kahlil Gib ran and sculptures from renowned artist Henry Moore.