The U.S. Air Force base in southern Nevada, known unofficially as Area 51, is where some of the world’s most advanced aircraft have been flown and tested. Over the years, the base has engendered dozens of conspiracy theories, in part because of rumors of preserved alien corpses stored on the premises, but also due to reports of exotic aircraft that seem to defy the laws of physics. No wonder the base is also known as “Dreamland.”



But long before Area 51 secured its place in popular culture, it was little more than a camp in the desert, with spartan living accommodations and test facilities. Air & Space contributor Pete Merlin has assembled 230 photographs from those early days in his book Area 51: Images of Aviation.



—The Editors