Gov. To Seize Family Land Near Area 51
Alien body storage? Secret weapons research? Dry lake beds? Well now you can add government harassment and a long-time family owned lead and silver mine into the mix of mysteries surrounding the famed area 51.
The Groom Mine, which has been in the Sheahan family for 130 years, has reportedly been continuously harassed at the government’s behest since the 1950’s. From long drawn out legal battles that drained the family’s finances to driving away perspective business partners and investors. Barbara Sheahan-Manning, the mine’s current co-owner, has claimed that bombs were dropped on the property destroying key structures, an event that ultimately led to the mine’s closure so many years ago.
In recent years the Sheahan’s claim live rounds have been fired over their property and the land surrounding the property has been bought out with sentries posted to prevent the family from returning to the mine, a metaphorical island in the middle of hostility.
They placed a security shack on the road that our grandfather built, for access to our own property, and started requiring us to go through their checkpoints in order to gain access.” said Sheahan-Manning.
The family claims that they have been patient and fair, keeping their silence for nearly 6 decades. They understand the work is important and top secret, and they want nothing to do with disturbing that work, but they have been made to feel like cattle in a slaughterhouse. The final insult? They have been forced to choose between a $5.2 million buyout of the property, which covers nearly 400 acres, or have the land condemned and seized through eminent domain. The Sheahans have until Sep. 10 to accept the offer or face forced abandonment.
I’m sure at times we have all felt a little claustrophobic when dealing with threats, especially from police or the government, and these claims are extreme, but what would you do if the land your family toiled with and died on was being surreptitiously snatched from beneath your feet?
The military’s response to the claims of harassment can be summed up as much: they have worked very hard for a very long time and have continuously displayed good neighborly behavior, but they need the Sheahan family to make a decision, and this is their final offer.
Mission cancellations on the NTTR due to incompatible land use cost millions of dollars per year,” said Col. Thomas Dempsey, Commander, Nevada Test and Training Range Wing.
These lost opportunities and delays result in increased national security costs to the taxpayer.
