The man behind the suggested name of “Paradise Ranch” is Kelly Johnson. This man is one of the few people who were lucky enough to see the inside of Area 51. He worked as a designer on the first Area 51 projects — the Lockheed’s U-2 aircraft.
He suggested the name “Paradise Ranch” as a way of making the place sound more appealing to potential workers so they would agree to relocate and make the place what it is today. Honestly, a military base does sound a little better when you give it the name of an amusement park.
Historically Speaking
The Area 51 airfield was originally established during World War II in 1941. At first, it was named the "Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field", which is not half as cryptic as Area 51 if you ask us...
This initial airfield was pretty humble. It only had two runways, which were unpaved and 5,000 feet long each. Modern airports would laugh and point at these baby runways if they could.
Change Your Name Change Your Life
Over the years, Area 51 has been experimenting with lots of different names, some better than others.
"Watertown" was one of the more mundane names, but the ones we liked best are "Paradise Ranch" and "Dreamland". Giving a military base a name befitting of a candy factory? It doesn't get better than that.
Fighting Boredom
Today's layout of Area 51 is a monster comparing to what it used to be in the 1950s. Back then, other than two unpaved runways, the perimeter had a control tower, three hangars, a few shelters, and trailers for the staff to live in.
This glorified campsite was later added a couple more attractions to keep the live-in crew at least somewhat entertained. Among those attractions are a volleyball court and a movie theater. We wonder if the cinema only features alien films...
Fences — Out, Signs — In
You would think that a place with such an aura of national security would be a little more... well, secure.
As it turns out, Area 51 doesn't have any walls or security fences around its perimeter. There are plenty of signs warning you not to go any further or take any pictures, but that's about it.