South Dakota Has Its Own Area 51 And The Stories Behind It Are Truly Bizarre

Everyone has heard of Area 51, and many have a strong opinion of it one way or another. Aliens? Experiments? Government coverups? Who knows?! Back in 2019, the infamous extraterrestrial-infested location was back in the news, as a supposed one million visitors planned to storm the mysterious place to "see them aliens." While that raid never happened, it got us thinking: Have there been alien sightings here in SoDak? Come to find out, there have been! But the story behind the largest one is truly bizarre, if for no other reason than it took place at one of the strangest places in South Dakota: the otherwise unassuming Ellsworth Air Force Base.

Located just northeast of Rapid City is Ellsworth Air Force Base, which was built in 1941 and currently houses some 8,000 military, family members, and civilian employees.

Like most Air Force bases, Ellsworth is home to some of the bravest and most honorable of military men and women, so when two came forward with a seemingly unbelievable report, the higher-ups took the claims seriously and launched an unprecedented investigation.

As the story goes, during the summer of 1952, an airman and his date were at the drive-in movie when they spotted some strange, orange-colored lights some 10,000+ miles away, which he reported to his superiors the following morning.

Though the Ellsworth airman was the first to report the incident, he was not the only one to see it, as 45+ civilians and a Military Air Defense System personnel in Bismarck, North Dakota also saw the strange object, which they reported as a red light making a peculiar, sweeping motion.

Thanks to these reports and other leads, the event was thoroughly investigated by the government, who took the stories of an unidentified flying object very seriously.

Despite the seemingly credible eyewitnesses, the Air Force later deemed the sightings as not suspicious, citing several different reasons the lights could have appeared.

Even though the possibility of a UFO was officially ruled out in this instance, many to this day believe what flew over the Midwest in the early 1950s wasn't human at all. Are you one of these believers, or do you think there is another explanation for this strange occurrence at the Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota? Let us know in the comments!

For even more Only in South Dakota controversy, check out these wild conspiracy theories. Or, indulge in something a little more relaxing (sans aliens) at this waterfront getaway in nearby Rapid City.

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/south-dakota/biggest-conspiracy-theories-sd/