Bulldozers End the Hippy Dream by Rooting Out Flower Children

The Telegraph ^ | February 6, 2004 | Oliver Poole

[quidnunc]

Arlington, WA – The commune's grey-haired members still consider themselves "flower children", and the Tranquil Garden outside their compound is intact, for now.

But the bulldozers are on their way. For the Love Ranch — one of the last true 1960s communes still operating in the United States — the dream of peace and love in one community is finally over.

Its founder, a former television salesman named Paul Erdman, brought the group to the banks of the curling Stillaguamish river, 60 miles north of Seattle, to create their own version of a spiritual Utopia.

At its peak there were more than 400 people in the Love Israel Community, also known as the Church of Jesus Christ at Armageddon or, to its own members, the family.

But now the power of Mammon has triumphed over their blend of apocalyptic Christian and New Age beliefs. A costly six-year battle with the local council over violations of building regulations has ended in bankruptcy, with debts of £2 million, and their plot is to be converted into a commercial campsite.

The teepees are being packed away and the 40 adherents trying to live out a social experiment that started during the Summer of Love, to the sounds of Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles, are preparing to scatter.

One member named Serious — the group abandoned their original names — was boxing up his belongings, his white locks pulled back in a ponytail. "We thought the world would change much faster," he said. "We never thought we'd have time to raise children and now many of us are grandparents."

-snip-

[Paleo Conservative]

This story needs some pictures.

[KangarooJacqui]

Well, they had a good run... I didn't think places like this had existed for years. (I'm too young to remember the Summer of Love, btw... I date from around the time of the last manned moon mission, which is about the time I thought these sort of places packed up as well.)

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Oops - forgot the caption of pic above.

Love Israel in his lawyer's conference room after signing papers for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. "It's sad, but a lot of good has come from it (the bankruptcy)," he said. "The family has been brought closer together.

[kimmie7]

I grew up close to one of the remaining ones...it was called Cornucopia. Those nutcases would skip down the street holding hands -- while the leaders were making their drug deals. It closed when I was still pretty young, but the compound remained for a long time. Until it was purchased...it's a jail now. Upon reflection, it was a jail then as well.

[martin_fierro]

This dump = "Utopia"? No, thanks.

[GeronL]

They have been trying this 'experiment' for a thousand years or more and it has never worked. NEVER. The first colonists to this continent tried it for a couple of years before throwing it out when they almost starved.

It cannot work because its illogical and stupid.

[flashbunny]

That's the soon to be former rachel corrie holding the bullhorn - in front of an israeli armored bulldozer that can't see her.

[Screaming_Gerbil]

From the article:

...In the 1960s dozens of communes inspired by the heady idealism of the Summer of Love were set up on the West Coast alone.

But since then they have steadily fallen victim to financial troubles, lack of new recruits and the gradual realisation by their existing members that they could no longer stand the sight of each other....

[GeronL]

lol

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Listen...to what the flower people say (Ah ah ah ah ah)

Listen...it's getting louder every day....

PING!

[bigfootbob]

This is only part of the story. They still have the main compound on Queen Ann Hill in Seattle, (worth millions). Guess who is their congresscritter? Bagdhad Jim MacDermott! Love Israel and Jim go way back.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Shhhh...! FLower people, walk on by... Flower people don't you cry... it's not too late... noooooooooooo....

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Well, it appears it is too late. LOL

[Brett66]

Hippy's p*ss me off!

[Chad Fairbanks]

I know, but I like to give them false hope. I'm petty like that ;0)

[Chad Fairbanks]

By the way, on a totally unrelated note...

Rachel Corrie.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Admit it. You'd like to drive the 'dozer. LOL

[Chad Fairbanks]

Well, yeah. That goes without saying.


I'd be singing my own versions of hippie songs while I drove it, too. Like, "I can't get no, Hippie Traction"...