Just about Any city in Oregon West of the Cascade Mountains is a Hippy Haven. Oregon is the only state where hippies enjoy a majority at the voting booths come election time. There’s a saying going around “Hippies dont die. They just move to Oregon. During the past few years hippies have been moving to Oregon in droves because there’s employment for hippies here, and we hippies can go full out in our glad rags in public veiw with out being accosted, laughed at or put down. Oregon is a true hippy Haven.
The Cascade Range is full of small towns that have been the last refuge of the hippies since the 70ies. All of these little towns are lawless.And have a long stading hippie tradition. Towns Like Alpine, Deadwood, Falls city, Summit, Berkenfield (Near Portland), Harlan (Behind the Native American Sacred Mountain Marys Peak) Nashville (Where all the Bands just have to stop). Just grab a Map and you can find an old hippie settlement any where in the coast range.
UPDATE: Cannabis is now legal!
Be careful where in Oregon you settle. I had a really bad experience living on the coast. From 1986 to 1995 I had lived in Florence, which was incredibly intolerant and bigoted. This was a place everyone voted Republican, and not going to church was a big no-no. Their local high school, which I was very unlucky to have attended was the kind of school where kids get picked on if they didn’t follow the jock/preppie/Christian fanatic crowd. It was the kind of school where far more emphasis was put on sports than on education. What was really cool was when I got to go out of Florence to Eugene, the drive on Hwy. 126 was simply unbelievable and it looks like the type of place hippies would hide out in. I remember as a small kid living in Butler Rd. around 1976-1978, which was some 20 miles NW of Eugene (several miles north of Elmira and Veneta), it was like living the hippie’s dream come true. My dad owned an old, ran-down VW Microbus camper, and the home, although it too was ran down, was like a hippie’s dream come true. I got to experience the hippie lifestyle in an era of disco, The Eagles, Boston, Foreigner, etc., especially since I wasn’t alive in the 1960s (I was born in 1972). Basically the impression I get of Oregon is anywhere from the Cascade foothills to the Coast Range is a hippie haven, but the coast itself, at least where I live isn’t. Also avoid living east of the Cascades. I now live in Lakeview, about 95 miles east of Klamath Falls, Lakeview is not a particularly hippie friendly town. The ranching mentality rules this town. What few hippies who used to live here lived on the south side of town in those old, ran down houses. I’ve been called “faggot” for having long hair in Lakeview, so that in itself makes Lakeview hippie unfriendly. So try Eugene or Portland, or many of the communties in the Coast Range and Cascade foothills, avoid the coast itself and east of the Cascades.
hell yes! i have tons of friends that live in falls city and a little place called dallas (not very friendly to liberal types) right next to it. but yeah Falls City is a great place to live and hang out. i am VERY proud to say that i have been raised in and around Corvallis Oregon my whole life and i love it here. i think the most part of the quote “old hippies dont die” is totally true!
If you’re unlucky to be living in Klamath Falls (east of the cascades), which is a rather liberal unfriendly town, where political thinking that’s to the left of Rush Limbaugh labels you a communist (and the local newpaper belittles and ridicules environmentalists, and often thinks that Pagans, New Agers, and non-Christians are bad, in the “Letters to the Editor” column), there one little bit of sanity downtown on Main Street. The shop is called “B-Girl and the Wild Things”. It’s probably the only hippie-oriented store in town. They sells beads, born-again Pagan bumper stickers, incense, jewelry, etc. It reminds me a whole lot of those little shops in Seattle that have similar themes. People from high school kids to old-time hippies come to buy things there. With the exception of “B-Girl” and a few art galleries adjacent to Main Street, it’s back to normal in Klamath Falls (shops that cater to the cowboy mentality, a “Jesus Saves” billboard sign, ugly strip malls, like Wal-Mart on the outskirts of town).
Hi folks!
I’m looking for hippies to interview for an article I’m researching. Anyone in the Portland area care to submit to an interview concerning your lifestyle?
I prefer talking to someone with the balls (or tits) enough to combat my q’s with intelligence and humor. Be advised, I don’t disagree with your hippyness, but I will play devil’s advocate and mess with your head so you can mess back. All in good fun. Ya know?
So, if you feel inclined to put your tits (or balls) in the ringer, please drop me a line. Let’s make a beautiful article together. Thanks for your time and attention.
John Dooley
newfeet@hotmail.com
Corvallis is a hippy haven, but lots of small towns aren’t
I grew up in Oregon in a little town called Myrtle Creek…sure there were a couple hippies, and there was a health-food store with our town’s 2 lesbians, but that didn’t make up for all the Republicans and bible thumpers. I live in Corvallis now which is a medium-sized college town, so we have more hippies, but there are still plenty of rednecks. Oregon is a weird mix of rednecks, hippies, and redneck-hippies (a strange variety to be sure). Also, there are the yuppies, but they mostly live in Bend and the bigger cities. Anyway, the point is it’s not one big hippy wonderland or anything. But it’s great anyway.
I grew up in Alpine which is pretty much in the middle of Eugene and Corvallis. This was a beautiful place to grow up where everyone seemed to be tolerant of everyone else. Even the “normal” people seemed content to let the hippies do there thing. Our sheriff grew his own pot, and the priest at our catholic church was a homosexual potsmoker, and everyone knew and no one seemed to care. About the only thing that was looked down upon was new people moving to the area that might throw off the balance of things. All in all this is a beautiful place to be!
are there any “hippie friendly” towns in or near McMinnville (SW of Portland)? Im going to be moving there and wanted to find a nice little hippie haven outside of the hustle and bustle of portland…
rob g
robert.gardner @ colorado.edu
Any knowledge of Grants Pass? I’ve heard it described as a nice tourist town, and as redneck hell..any thoughts?
what can you tell me about medford??
Hello. My boyfriend and I are looking to relocate to Oregon or Northern California. We, too, are hoping to find a smaller hippie town outside of the main city, but with jobs in reasonable driving distance. Does anyone know where the computer programmer/software engineer jobs are located? Any information would be much appreciated! Please email me at sarakeeton@hotmail.com
Hey all.
Just wanted to give a shout out for Williams. Hidden little hippie town about 20 miles outside of Grants Pass. If you want a truly unique community experience then Williams is a great place to check out. It is very secluded in a way, but is also very beautifull. Down side, not the greatest school system if you want to raise kids. Also, Grants Pass is Hick/tourest hell. But you have to take the bad witht the good!
I am curious about Salem, Oregon. Is it an open minded place that is acceptant of hippies and alternative lifestyles?
Go to the Oregon coast, its hard to explain the oregon coast. i cant do it. you will find lots of republicans who are just begging for you to grab them by the hand and show them how to have fun. and if you do this, they will share, and even let you work for them and with them. believe me.
i meant to say: “its hard to explain the beauty of the oregon coast.” if you find the right beaches you will never want to leave.
Im looking for a few good hippies… actually a few hundred thousand…to take oregon back from the greedy and give the indians back their land. Peace aint soft…
If anyone knows what happened to all of the hippies that used to live in the Mt. Hood area around Government Camp and Welches, please tell me. It seems like when I was younger there were hippies and dogs all over the place up there, now there arent any more vw buses or dreadlocked people, they all seem to be in Portland and down south. Mt. Hood is a good place to be, I have a feeling the ski resorts have gotten the cops behind them and they are trying to run people out. Just a theory…if anyone knows more please share.
You won’t find too many hippies around the welches /government camp area anymore. A mean spirited group of conservative Christians has taken over the area with the help of corrupt government officials. There has been an unprecedented level of organized crime aimed at driving everyone and anyone off the mountain that appears to have any sympathies towards alternative cultural ideas. The only good news is that we have caught the US drug Czar as well as our local sheriff smack in the middle of this fraudulant and illegal activity, and may be able to send them along with some of their parasite buddies to prison. Meanwhile, a few of us are hanging in there waiting for better days and doing our best to expose the corruption the DOJ has brought to our little paradise.
Rev. Wagonwheel
man im bryan and im trying to find a hippy friendly place near or in beaverton oregon. if you feel up to it, email me and let me know, thanks man
I am planning on relocating to somewhere near Bend, OR as my husband’s company is getting a little break-off group that wants to get out of the BAY AREA – and they have chosen Bend. I understand it is a pretty yuppie place – but if we are ever going to move out of the hell-hole we are living in now – Bend area is pretty much it. Any suggestions of places that have a great hippie community feel – a good place to raise the little ones – and all within 30 minutes – 1 hour commute to Bend? Thanks for any advice you can email to me.
Same post with an email for replies – cheers…
I am planning on relocating to somewhere near Bend, OR as my husband’s company is getting a little break-off group that wants to get out of the BAY AREA – and they have chosen Bend. I understand it is a pretty yuppie place – but if we are ever going to move out of the hell-hole we are living in now – Bend area is pretty much it. Any suggestions of places that have a great hippie community feel – a good place to raise the little ones – and all within 30 minutes – 1 hour commute to Bend? Thanks for any advice you can email to me.
i am hippie in a hick town looking to move to oregon in the summer any information where someone on a budget could live or would be interested in communicating back and forth so i might know somone when i get there or anyone that needs a roommate that is going out that way in the summer that is anywhere near pa please email ryo_of_wildfire1999@yahoo.com
38 miles sort of south of Grants Pass is a really neat little hippie town called Takilma. They have a dome school for their children which has a ratio of 10 children per teacher and its just beautiful out there and the rednecks stay in their own towns I hear.
My partner and I are looking to move to the Oregon Coat and open up a shop…everything hand made. I kinda need a place with a pretty good tourist population, but at the same time some cool locals. I drove through Manzanita once and it seemed ok – can someone help? E-Mail me at Photofun4every1@hotmail.com. – Thanks
Beware of Lakeview, Oregon. I live here and boy the rednecks are the most intolerant people you will ever meet. I have long hair because I am part Native American. They look down on this because of the church brainwashing them to think long hair means bad.
They deny me work because I do not go to church and I have long hair. They rather have a prison here instead of attempting to bring in alternative industries that bring in art and culture.
Here are a few towns to avoid in Oregon:
Lakeview
Roseburg
Klamath Falls
Salem
Junction City
Florence
Coos Bay
Burns
Bend (Tourist hellhole)
Sisters
That is just a small list of redneck cowboy hellholes to avoid. There are many places to beware of.
I’m living in Portland now, but want to move to a smaller town that is liberal. We are thinking of the coast or coast range. Any ideas for a town of at least 5,ooo that is liberal?