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'Black Mailbox' a Mecca for UFO Believers

For many, the search for extra-terrestrial life centers on a farming couple's mailbox

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 21, 2008 9:15 AM CDT
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(Newser) – A faded, handmade mailbox on a lonely stretch of Nevada highway has become an unlikely tourist attraction, the Los Angeles Times reports. The "Black Mailbox," belonging to a nearby ranching couple, has become a magnet for UFO believers who suspect it is a postbox for extraterrestrials. Some spend nights camped out by the box, waiting, or communing with like-minded souls.

The box, the only landmark for 40 miles, developed a following after claims of saucer sitings turned the nearest town into a hotspot for UFO-hunters. Visitors leave bumper stickers and notes. Some try to break in, and it's been shot up a few times, resulting in the original black mailbox being replaced by a white, bullet-proof, Master-Locked version. Its bemused owners have added an "Alien Drop Box" with a slot on the side: Occasionally visitors leave dollar bills.

Some people who camp in the Nevada desert at night report seeing strange lights in the sky.
Some people who camp in the Nevada desert at night report seeing strange lights in the sky.   ((c) AlphaTangoBravo / Adam Baker)
Rachel, Nevada, has become a hotspot for UFO believer tourism.
Rachel, Nevada, has become a hotspot for UFO believer tourism.   ((c) Unobtanium)
The 'Black Mailbox' in the Nevada desert draws many visitors who hope to spot extraterrestrials in the area.
The 'Black Mailbox' in the Nevada desert draws many visitors who hope to spot extraterrestrials in the area.   ((c) Unobtanium)
The 'Black Mailbox' is on a stretch of Nevada highway near Area 51.
The 'Black Mailbox' is on a stretch of Nevada highway near Area 51.   ((c) jonrawlinson)
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