Back in the 1950s, when Area 51 served as a home for the Lockheed program, the crew that worked on it had to be regularly flown in and out of the perimeter. Those many flights were problematic in terms of secrecy.
They then developed a stealthy flight schedule to keep them from being noticed: the crew flew into the facility on early Mondays and left it late on Fridays. The general assumption was that people are generally too busy with weekend plans to notice suspicious flights happening overhead. Do you not look up on weekends?
The Absurdity
Just for the sake of covering the subject of conspiracy theories, here are a few of the most absurd ones we've heard about Area 51.
While you probably won't find any reptilian overlords here, some people believe that this is where the government studies alien spacecraft, controls the weather control, and develops time travel. We doubt any of it is true but we would love to hear more just to be humored.
The Cinematics of It All
The mystery, rumors, and conspiracy theories circling Area 51 have inspired numerous filmmakers, especially American ones.
References, parodies, and artistic depictions of the place can be found in decades of cinematic history. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull", "The Signal", and "Escape From Planet Earth" are just a drop in the bucked of Area 51 films.
The Makeover
1959's Project OXCART met different conditions than it's predecessor, the Lockheed A-12. Among other things, the OXCART was meant to test the Lockheed A-12 aircraft and train with it. It was made possible thanks to a new and improved 8,500-foot runway.
Before this new runway was introduced, the base had runways that were unpaved and thousands of feet shorter. Talk about an extreme makeover!
The 1961 Renovations
In 1961, the Area 51 perimeter went through extensive renovations. Many of the old buildings were replaced or repurposed, and some new buildings were added to the party.
The facility was also introduced to three surplus Navy hangars and a reservoir pond surrounded with trees. The staff housing was upgraded from a handful of trailers to 130 Babbitt duplexes. How luxurious!