A small black mailbox marks the way
Courtesy of Dreamland Resort
Rachel, Nevada, is a small town of only 100 people situated just 13 miles west of Area 51. Because this small community is the closest outpost to the access roads leading to Area 51, it has become famous with crowds interested in getting a closer look. In fact, some have said that for all the good that Bob Lazar has done for Rachel, he could have been an employee of the Nevada Tourism Board paid to draw crowds to this small town.
The town of Rachel is so small that it received its name only 30 years ago when Rachel Jones, the first and only child to be born in the valley, was delivered by her father in their mobile home on February 15, 1977. At the time of her birth, the town was in an upswing and Rachel's birth struck everyone as such an event that they decided to name the town after her. About this same time, the town finally received electricity.
Courtesy of Dreamland Resort
Rachel is such a small town that there are very few permanent homes. In fact, the town is mostly composed of mobile homes surrounded by a vast desert valley. The town was originally founded as a mining town and in its heyday still had only 300 residents. There aren't any nearby tourists attractions and there is only one gas station and one three-in-one building that serves as a restaurant/bar/motel. It is not the type of town that you would expect people from around the world to flock to. But since 1989, when Bob Lazar came forward with tales of UFOs, that is just what has happened. Taking advantage of the new-found fame, the previously mentioned restaurant/bar/motel even changed its name to the Little A'le'inn (pronounced "alien").
Courtesy of Dreamland Resort
Probably one of the most famous landmarks in the area is the mailbox on Steve Medlin's ranch. This formerly black mailbox is where Lazar would bring people to show them the scheduled UFO launches. Because of this, the mailbox became a highly popular spot for UFO watchers and information seekers. So many people were visiting the mailbox and signing their names as a remembrance of their visit that the mailbox quickly needed to be replaced. Today, the Medlin mailbox is large and white with a padlock on it to prevent UFO watchers from stealing his mail. It has now accumulated so many signatures that it is impossible to find a blank space.