Steven Lee Medlin (born April 10, 1944) is an American rancher who garnered media attention due to his ranch's location on the border of the highly classified United States Air Force (USAF) facility, Area 51.[1][2][3]

Steve Medlin
Born
Steven Lee Medlin

April 10, 1944
OccupationRancher
Known forOwning and operating the Medlin Ranch bordering Area 51

Steve and his wife Glenda Wilson Medlin (January 18, 1947 - August 30, 2021)[4] purchased the ranch in 1973, eventually building a 500 head cattle operation.[5] In 2021, shortly before Glenda's death, the Medlins sold the ranch.[6][7][8][9]

The Black Mailbox

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The 'Black' Mailbox

Medlin's mailbox, located on the corner of Nevada State Route 375 and Mail Box Rd became infamous amongst UFO enthusiasts and tourists due to people presuming it was the mailbox for the base itself.[10] The 'Black Mailbox' continued to be covered in graffiti and stickers for years, and was eventually painted white by Medlin, and adorned with his name.[11] The mailbox was also later removed.[12][13]

References

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  1. ^ Yenne, Bill (2018-03-06). Area 51 - Black Jets: A History of the Aircraft Developed at Groom Lake, America's Secret Aviation Base. Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-6145-0.
  2. ^ Brigades, Wiki (November 1, 2011). Area 51: The Truth. LA CASE Books. ISBN 978-1-953546-76-0.
  3. ^ "A Short History of Rachel, Nevada". www.rachel-nevada.com. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  4. ^ "Glenda Medlin - 2021 - Virgin Valley & Moapa Valley Mortuaries". www.tributearchive.com. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  5. ^ "Farm Credit". farmcredit.com. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  6. ^ "80 acre cattle ranch bordering Area 51 for sale - including mailbox sought out by alien enthusiasts". FOX 10 Phoenix. 2021-02-22. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  7. ^ "Cattle ranch with Area 51 grazing permit hits market for $4.5M". 2021-02-23. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  8. ^ "Eerie $5.8m ranch for sale next to Area 51 comes with iconic item". Yahoo News. 2021-02-17. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  9. ^ "Iconic UFO Ranch Bordering Area 51 and Its Infamous Black Mailbox Are for Sale". IMDb. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  10. ^ Powers, Ashley (2008-08-21). "Awaiting delivery from far, far away". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  11. ^ "What is the Black Mailbox?". March 27, 2024.
  12. ^ Morton, Ella (2014-04-04). "E.T. Post Home: The Alien Mailbox of Area 51". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  13. ^ "The Black Mailbox". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2024-03-27.