Groom Lake
In 1955, the Federal Government blocked off access to the Groom Lake Research Facility. Prior to the 1950s, Groom Lake had simply been an auxiliary airfield with a couple of dirt runways. It seems odd that the government would block off access to the site after the cessation of the war. This has, with no surprise, caused a great deal of speculation and supposition as to what the military is really doing at Groom Lake.
A map of Groom Lake released by the Atomic Energy Commission lists the Groom Lake area as Area 15. Conspiracy Theorists have begun calling the area “Area 51” to bring attention to the great government cover-up or misdirection that is in place at Groom Lake.
Hoover Dam
During the Great Depression, there were so many out of work men that the Federal government, under the direction of Roosevelt, took action. The Federal government created a vast number of unskilled and low skilled jobs building infrastructure. From this work, the Hoover Dam was created. The dam created Lake Meade and is one of the great desert marvels. Located about 30 minutes away from Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam is one of the greatest tourist sites in the region.
Mercury
Mercury, Nevada, est. 1950, was named for the mercury mines in the area of where the town was built. Mercury is about an hour away from Las Vegas and despite the valuable metal, the land in mercury has become valued for something else entirely- rocket and missile testing. Tourists will often take bus tours to Mercury to view the rocket tests. Presently the town houses 10,000 and boasts a brand new school for its children and a new airport to best accommodate visits from President Kennedy.