Area 51 request filed in 2005, the CIA publicly acknowledged the existence of the base for the first time, declassifying documents detailing the history and purpose of Area 51. Area 51 is located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States, north-northwest of Las Vegas. Situated at its center, on the southern shore of Groom Lake, is a large military airfield. The site was acquired by the United States Air Force in 1955, primarily for the flight testing of the Lockheed U-2 aircraft. The area around Area 51, including the small town of Rachel on the "Extraterrestrial Highway", is
Georgia State Route 51 Creek. In 1968, it was established and hard surfaced from the SR 51 mainline north and east-northeast to the shore of the "Hartwell Reservoir". In 1983, it was decommissioned. Georgia State Route 51 State Route 51 (SR 51) is a state highway that travels west-to-east through portions of Hall, Banks, Franklin, and Hart counties in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The highway connects Lula with Lake Hartwell, via Homer, Carnesville, and Hartwell. SR 51 begins at an intersection with SR 52 in Lula, in Hall County. It travels northeast and curves to the southeast to cross