The '70s on South Whidbey:: Life and Times Re-Imagined

These fifty-six self-written narratives are by counterculture folks who moved to South Whidbey Island during the late ‘60s and early ‘70s seeking a more rural and meaningful life. The deficiencies of our society in general and the Vietnam War era government, led to a hippie migration to rural environments across the country during the early ‘70s. Whether we were echoing Timothy Leary’s mantra of “tune in, turn on, drop out” or had just read Helen and Scott Nearing’s book, The Good Life, we were looking for a simpler lifestyle and self-sufficiency. We wanted to cultivate a community living in peace and harmony within nature. These stories were written by counterculture folks who moved, answered the call to a rural life and in the process changed themselves, South Whidbey, and the broader culture they escaped.