How did "Area 51" become famous?

I know many of the stories about the base at Groom Lake. What I'm asking about is the name Area 51. Considering that for the longest time the US govenment denied that the base was called Area 51, why did that designation for the base at Groom Lake become so famous?

The sources I have are mainly on the history of activities at the base, not how the term Area 51 got into the public domain.

Tim

Originally posted by Ghost01
What I'm asking about is the name Area 51

Tim

ok, ghost. my theory is that the government knew this place was going to attract alot of attention, so i believe it refers to a 51st state.

I do not know the answer to that one, but the 51 state thing is interesting....never thought of that before.

The origin of the name "Area 51" apparently is classified; however, several theories have been proposed. It is generally agreed upon that the provision of an area designation for the operating location relates to the use of area designations at the adjacent Nevada Test Site, which are used to divide the site into readily identifiable parts. The Nevada Test Site consists of areas numbered 1 through 30, exclusive of 13 (which is off-site), 21, and 28, which was erased by the redrawing of the boundaries of its neighbors, Areas 25 and 27. The Tonopah Test Range, which is not on the Nevada Test Site but is in part operated by the Department of Energy, was referred to as "Area 52" in a 1990 internal telephone directory for the Nevada Test Site and older documents refer to Tonopah as "Project 52."

One theory is that 50-series designations are issued for certain off-site areas and that Groom Lake was named "Area 51" because it was the first such off-site area. That explanation would be invalid, though, if the Department of Energy decided to provide 50-series designations for other off-site locations only after Groom Lake had already been named "Area 51." In that case it may have been that the number "51" was chosen because the Nevada Test Site proper was unlikely ever to be composed of more than 50 numbered areas, such that "51" was the first available number, allowing for some growth or reorganization of the Nevada Test Site and because the relevant actors wanted Groom Lake to be associated with the Nevada Test Site rather than seen as an independent entity, which would have attracted unwanted attention.

OK peeps I got this from www.dessertsecrets.com

I put "naming area 51" in to google

Anyhow I thought Isreal was the 51st state

Ok, I think there is a misunderstanding here about what I'm asking. The term "Area 51" comes from old and (as far as I know) classified maps of the Nevada Test Site.

The Test Site is sectioned off into quadrons on a fallout grid. Each quadron is an Area. The one in the upper east corner, which happened to contian Groom Lake, is number 51. So it was more a random series of events that gave the facility the number designation "Area 51". However, the map containing the area assignments was never officially released into the public domain.

If the map with the fallout grid was secret, how did the term "Area 51 " become public?

Tim

Tim, if I may....

I think you're also trying to ask, when was it first found out by the public that there was something there, who started the first investigations etc.
Who or what event made it a known place etc?

or I could be wrong...

Elevatedone,

You hit the nail on the head exactly! How did Area 51 become known to the public as Area 51?

Tim

It is Area 51, because that is the DOE designation for the that particular portion of the Nevada test side. There are multiple other areas too.

That term has been known since probably the early 60s. Shadowhawk has done some good research into it, and found unclassified documents and publications that mention Area 51.

Originally posted by firepilot
Shadowhawk has done some good research into it, and found unclassified documents and publications that mention Area 51.

So, the lable "Area 51" was published on an unclassified map!

Thank you, that's what I was looking for. I think this issue is resolved.

Tim

Originally posted by Ghost01
The Test Site is sectioned off into quadrons on a fallout grid. Each quadron is an Area. The one in the upper east corner, which happened to contian Groom Lake, is number 51. So it was more a random series of events that gave the facility the number designation "Area 51". However, the map containing the area assignments was never officially released into the public domain.

Not quite. Its not sequential as an earlier poer pointed out. There is not area 49 or area 50 or many other designations. Its still unknown why the number 51 was chosen.

Anyway back to the question you were asking originally (!) I tihnk it largely came to the public attention through Bob Lazar and his now infamous lies.

Good Point Gfad!

I didn't even think about the famous Lazar tales. Bob Lazar did a lot to promote Area 51 with his stories. Speaking of people who helped to promote Area 51/ Groom Lake, I think there's another man who also deserves some credit for helping to put Area 51 on the map:

John Lear

Even before the Lazar story broke, John was known for his very outspoken claims about flying saucers being kept in Area 51. Next time you see him on ATS, remember to thank him.

Tim

Tim,
Good to see ya.
Try this Link

Good and true info, here.

Area 51 was never a secret.

Lex

Edit to add : Link can't be direct to what I'm trying to show.
Hit the "Info and pictures" button on the left, then scroll down
about half-way to the "It wasn't secret" link.

At least, I think that's it.

Anyway, have fun there.

[edit on 3-5-2007 by Lexion]

A very interesting read Lex, thanks for that. My favourite bit was this line:

If the government were more open about the mundane details of Groom Lake's history, perhaps public interest would wane.

Perhaps if the details of Groom Lake's history were mundane, the government would be more open about them.

Originally posted by gfad

Anyway back to the question you were asking originally (!) I tihnk it largely came to the public attention through Bob Lazar and his now infamous lies.

Gfad, when you say 'infamous lies' is that an opinion or do you have any proof that Bob Lazar lied? His story seemed unbelievable to those who didn't know Bob and I can certainly understand that but when you state 'infamous lies' it sounds like you have iron-clad proof. Is this the case? Or is this an opinion? Thanks.

I'm of the Oppinion that many of Bob Lazar's claims are beyond the outer limits of reality. However, I must in fairness point out that I hold the same veiw about many of John Lear's wild tales:

-Lunar Gravity claimes
-Dulce

John sais they're all true, but I find them to far-fetched to take serioulsly.

Tim

On 20 June 1958, 38,400 acres of land encompassing the Watertown base at Groom Lake was officially withdrawn from public access under Public Land Order 1662. This rectangular addition to the Nevada Test Site was designated “Area 51.”

On 17 November 1959, an Atomic Energy Commission spokesman announced to the news media: “Sheet metal workers needed at the Groom Lake Project 51 in the Nevada Test Site are constructing a butler-type building.” The spokesman said that the building would be used to “house data reduction equipment for use by Edgerton, Germeshausen, and Grier in an Air Force program.” This was the EG&G RCS measurement facility that was first used to evaluate Lockheed's A-12 design. Some documents and articles use the terms "Project 51" and "Area 51" interchangeably.

A subsequent article in the Las Vegas Review Journal noted that Groom Lake “is ideally suited to secret projects because experimental aircraft can take off and land without detection from any outside point.” This, of course, proved in error,and was noted by the CIA Inspector General during a visit in 1961.

On 15 January 1960, the N.T.S. Bulletin, an unclassified newsletter for Test Site workers published Area 51 telephone numbers on the front page. The announcement included contact numbers for the Base Commander’s Office, Security Office, and Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Company (REECo).

The base was built up over the next several years in support of Project OXCART, development of the A-12. The Area 51 softball team was called the 8-Ballers. The BULLETIN BOARD, an unclassified newsletter published by REECo for NTS employees regularly posted articles about Test Site sporting events. Throughout the 1960s, headlines such as “Area 51 Wins Slow-Pitch Tournament” were common and many of the players were listed by name.

During the 1960s and earlyt 1970s, security gurards at the site wore metal badges with the wirds AREA 51 SECURITY FORCE. They came in two sizes. These may be the only items from Groom Lake, other than documents, to bear the term "Area 51."

Over the years, Area 51 has appeared on numerous unclassified maps and documents. Some of these have been produced for internal use and others for the general public and news media.

An unclassified NTS road map, produced by Holmes & Narver, Inc., was updated in January 1961 to include mileage between various points. One notation read: “10.3 MILES TO AREA 51” and was followed by the words “GROOM LAKE.”

Another map of the Nevada Test site, produced in December 1967 by REECo, shows the western edge of Area 51. The Area number is clearly marked and man-made features are shown in detail. The airfield and the dry lakebed, unfortunately, fall outside the edge of the map.

In 1969, the University of California Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory published a report on Archeological Investigations at the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission’s Nevada Test Site and Nuclear Rocket Development Station. It included two maps of the Test Site. One of these included the western edge of Area 51, clearly labeled, with an arrow pointing toward Groom Lake.

Throughout the 1970s, the Atomic Energy Commission (later, Department of Energy) handed out maps of the NTS with public relations brochures and press releases. These maps showed how the Test Site was divided into numbered areas and included details of all the major facilities. The western half of Area 51 and west edge of Groom Lake were included, both clearly labeled. The main base and runways were just outside the edge of the map.

In March 1977, the U.S. Geological Survey published a report on Lithologic Logs of Selected Exploratory and Emplacement Drill Holes in Areas 2 and 8, Nevada Test Site. The unclassified report included an Index Map of the NTS. Area 51 was shown in its entirety, but without internal details.

A large, undated map of the Test Site fails to include the Area 51 boundary. There is, however, a road heading northeast that is labeled “Groom Lake AREA 51.”

By September 1978, Area 51 had disappeared from maps of the NTS produced by the Department of Energy (DoE). The maps were nearly identical to earlier editions, but with updated information. Although the western edge of Groom Lake was still visible and labeled, the boundary of Area 51 and its number had been removed.


[edit on 6-5-2007 by Shadowhawk]

WOW!

I never realised that they were so open about the base at Groom Lake at one time. I guess Pete has again proven that the old line "Everything About Area 51 is Top Secret" Really is a Myth!

I guess even real secret airbases aren't completely secret.

What seems to be feeding the Area 51 myth is that so little is known about the aircraft they are currently developing out there. I would never have expected Groom Lake to be known for it's championship Softball team!

Tim

It is interesting to know that 1978 is the year area 51 officially disappeared from the maps, a year after 1977, when Lockheed produced two 60% scale models of the Have Blue technology demonstrator, proving that stealth technology was feasable. This is what I think was a major driving force to make area 51 even more secret. Then in 1989 when the stealth fighter was used officially to get rid of Gadaffi in Libya, I believe that is when the base came back into the public eye.

Originally posted by THE_PROFESSIONAL
Then in 1989 when the stealth fighter was used officially to get rid of Gadaffi in Libya, I believe that is when the base came back into the public eye.

You're confusing Libya with Panama! There were No stealth fighters in Libya.

Libia was still under Regan! The 1989 mission the stealth fighter was used on was Operation Just Cause, when they went after General Manuel Noriega of Panama.

In Libia the Nighthwaks were on alert, but the actual mission was flown by F-111 Aardvarks.

Tim

THE ONLY WAY THAT U CAN GET IN TO a51
The only way that u cant get in area 51 is by hijacking a big passenger plane like 747 with its crew and passengers and fly it to the area 51 and land it. they cant shot u down or anything because its a passenger plain with american citizens in it but u have 2 tell them that its not a 9/11 # just u gonna land so everyone could see the area 51 no one will come out of the plane it will be just like a tour then u could take many pictures as possible and post in to the internet with your laptop in the plane then sent it to all tv channels (but if there is a intenet connection in the plane). Then just fly away and land in las vegas airport and give your self in or you could just stay in area 51 and demand the secrets of the area 51 or u kill the all of the passengers (not really just 2 make them do it). so what do u thing about this idea. its a bit extreme but come on area 51 is extreme.

ALSO i think there is a big underground tunnels around area 51 that they can actualy fly planes in the tunnels the tunnels r so big infact they could fly 5 f16 side by side and top to bottom without hitting each other the tunnels r big and long surrounding all of the area.