Prominent Hippy Communes
The 1960s and 1970s saw the emergence of numerous hippie communes across the United States and beyond, each with its own unique culture, ethos, and impact on the wider countercultural movement.
Here is a list of 20 of the most prominent hippie communes from that era:
1. The Farm (Summertown, Tennessee): Founded in 1971 by Stephen Gaskin and his followers, The Farm became one of the most famous and longest-lasting communes, known for its spiritual practices, midwifery services, and commitment to nonviolence.
2. Drop City (Trinidad, Colorado): Established in 1965, Drop City is often considered the first rural commune of the 1960s. It was known for its geodesic domes and as a hub for artistic and architectural experimentation.
3. Morning Star Ranch (Sonoma County, California): Founded by Lou Gottlieb in 1966, Morning Star Ranch, also known as Open Land, became a symbol of the free land movement, emphasizing living in harmony with nature without ownership.
4. Twin Oaks Community (Louisa, Virginia): Inspired by B.F. Skinner's book "Walden Two," Twin Oaks was founded in 1967 and is known for its egalitarianism and shared labor system.
5. Black Bear Ranch (Siskiyou County, California): Established in 1968 as a refuge for activists and artists, Black Bear Ranch remains known for its radical politics and autonomous living.
6. Auroville (Tamil Nadu, India): Founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa, known as "The Mother," Auroville was conceived as an international township to realize human unity and is recognized by UNESCO.
7. Findhorn Foundation (Moray, Scotland): Started in 1962, the Findhorn Foundation grew from a small caravan site to an ecovillage with a global educational mandate.
8. Lama Foundation (San Cristobal, New Mexico): Founded in 1967, the Lama Foundation is a spiritual community, intentional community, and educational center.
9. The Source Family (Los Angeles, California): A spiritual commune led by Father Yod, or YaHoWha, in the early 1970s, known for its organic restaurant and rock band.
10. Hog Farm (Berkshire Mountains, Massachusetts and later, California): Started in the late 1960s by Wavy Gravy, it was a collective known for its involvement in music festivals and political activism.
11. Total Loss Farm (Guilford, Vermont): Part of the back-to-the-land movement, known for its collective living and organic farming.
12. East Wind Community (Tecumseh, Missouri): Founded in 1974, East Wind is a communal living group based on shared labor and egalitarian values.
13. Liberty House (Berkeley, California): Known for its involvement in the Free Speech Movement and as a center for social change.
14. Brotherhood of the Spirit (later renamed Renaissance Community, Warwick, Massachusetts): Founded by Michael Metelica in 1968, it was one of the largest communes in the northeast.
15. Kaliflower Commune (San Francisco, California): Known for its free inter-communal newsletter and as a hub for communal networking in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
16. Wheeler's Ranch (Sonoma County, California): A communal living space that became a model for open land communes during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
These communes and communities played significant roles in the cultural and social movements of their time, leaving lasting legacies in terms of environmentalism, organic farming, communal living, and the broader quest for alternative lifestyles.