144:, and subsequently the land was split with carpenter Roger Somers and his wife Mary. In 1956, Elsa named her portion Druid Heights and today the entire site is called by this moniker although in practice the neighbor's seldom used the name. In actuality, the community was not a monolith, but the neighborhood shared common values and responsibilities concomitant with the remote site's lack of services. It had no city water system, no sewers, and no city maintenance for the three mile dirt road that gave them access to their properties. The neighbors, including others along the road, had to pool money and resources to maintain these vital services and these challenges demanded they work together in harmony. The remoteness and uniqueness of the site attracted various countercultural movements and many figures of the
304:
224:
157:
48:
61:
68:
179:, along with their partners, on five acres of a former chicken ranch. Gidlow purchased the acreage and then legally split the parcel in 1954 so she could share it with carpenter Roger Somers and his wife Mary. In 1956, Elsa gave her portion, approximately two acres, the name Druid Heights in honor of two female writers, the revolutionary and teacher of Irish lore,
259:
to "be headquarters for the
Society and site of seminars and other events," and the Heights could therefore be kept a closely guarded secret enjoyed by insiders and invited guests. The Society fell on hard times after the 1973 death of Alan Watts, but in his name and with the help of a solid board of
334:
The Old
Chicken Barn, built to house chickens by Alfons Haapa in 1943, was converted by Roger Somers and his tenant sculptor Jerry Walter into a combination art studio and dwelling in the late 1950s. After the arrival of the Stiles family in 1965, Ed Stiles continued to remodel and add to this
330:
The Ranch or Twin Peaks House, was originally a small house built in early 1920s by Alfons Haapa. After the purchase of the Haapa property by Gidlow and Roger and Mary Somers in 1954, Somers’ extensive remodeling and additions radically remade this house by incorporating elements of
Japanese,
289:"With skill as a gardener and as an architect they transformed this area into a paradise, a Garden of Eden...All this they accomplished with imagination and muscle...It has what people who are only rich find so frustrating, because you cannot buy it with money."
299:
There are approximately 16 historic buildings and structures in what is today commonly called Druid
Heights with the most important structure, poet Elsa Gidlow's own house, seriously endangered due to a lack of maintenance. Remaining structures include:
231:
Accessible by a dirt road connected to Muir Woods Road, the two properties occupied a now split five-acre ranch formerly known as the Haapa
Property. On his portion, Somers, a free spirited and hard working craftsman, was influenced by
240:. He built or remodeled many of the structures with the help of organizational skills and common sense from furniture designer and later the third owner, Ed Stiles. Gidlow was fond of decorative gardening and
561:
318:
Mandala House, a cabin shaped like a lotus flower. It was originally built by Stiles for Elsa Gidlow's sister, then improved and rented to Alan and Jano Watts from 1970 until his death there in 1973.
711:
664:
395:
Marcy
Mendelson directed and produced a documentary about the location called Druid Heights, and stated that the location was a vortex of social and artistic energy and reminiscent of the
196:
The community members, sometimes separately and other times together, allowed the acreage to be a meeting place for three countercultural movements in the United States, including the
496:
877:
907:
586:
324:
Love Garden, filled with plants brought there by Gidlow from her other house, 'Madrona' in
Fairfax, California and tended by Gidlow with the help of countless friends.
759:
688:
551:
247:
Seeing a broader purpose for her portion of the land, The
Society For Comparative Philosophy, begun in 1962, was established here as a non-profit by
708:
656:
327:
Water Tank, installed under the supervision of Edward Stiles to hold water pumped from the creek for the benefit, communally, of the 12 residents.
927:
828:
263:
Gidlow had planned to turn Druid
Heights into a pay-as-you-go retreat for artists, but after the National Park Service acquired the land using
172:
740:
Historic
American Building Survey, US National Park Service (2016). “Druid Heights, Old Chicken Barn”. Library of Congress HABS CA-2920-C
493:
872:
731:
Historic American Building Survey, US National Park Service (2016). “DRUID HEIGHTS, RANCH HOUSE” Library of Congress HABS No. CA-2920-D
255:
aiming for a broad vision approach to "studies of humanity's relation to nature and the universe." They purchased the converted ferry boat
92:
922:
912:
902:
583:
163:
Druid Heights was, by its founder Elsa Gidlow, jokingly called an "unintentional" community located on the southeast flank of
60:
345:
276:
848:
751:
440:
642:
315:
The Library, constructed in 1972 out of a redwood water tank, initially to house the books and papers of Alan Watts.
821:
806:
685:
798:
Liberatore, Paul (November 27, 2011). "Study says Marin's Druid Heights qualifies as a national historic site".
792:
477:
838:
892:
887:
882:
408:
268:
208:
of the 1970s. It also, through the efforts of Elsa Gidlow, became a refuge for many famous figures of the
303:
223:
156:
47:
518:
209:
145:
917:
897:
867:
168:
137:
20:
360:
556:
272:
233:
244:, and she grew vegetables for herself and shared the excess with other people in the area.
171:, about a mile from the Pacific Ocean. The property was initially inhabited by carpenter
8:
241:
205:
237:
788:
638:
607:
473:
267:
in 1977, it could no longer host temporary guests, only legal tenants. Located above
189:
335:
building, including the bathroom's incorporation of a custom redwood tub and shower.
715:
692:
590:
500:
376:
256:
213:
197:
164:
184:
264:
861:
107:
94:
365:
350:
248:
217:
176:
141:
611:
381:
355:
252:
180:
396:
260:
directors, it revived and continued until Gidlow's death in 1987.
201:
807:
Inside Druid Heights, a Marin County counter-culture landmark
635:
Elsa, I Come With My Songs: The Autobiography of Elsa Gidlow
849:
Advocates Push to Preserve Historic Druid Heights Community
814:
216:
and former resident of the Heights, Pulitzer Prize winner
657:"America's Only LGBTQ Historic District Is Falling Apart"
560:. San Francisco, California. 19 June 1986. p. 16.
878:
National Park Service National Monuments in California
321:
The Goddess Meditation hut with stained glass windows.
829:
Oasis For Resisting Status Symbols Just Might Get One
709:
Oasis for Resisting Status Symbols Just Might Get One
604:
Cloud-hidden, Whereabouts Unknown: A Mountain Journal
908:
Buildings and structures in Marin County, California
546:
544:
140:, U.S., The property was purchased in 1954 by poet
593:". The History of Homestead Valley, 2012 Articles.
16:Counterculture enclave in Marin County, California
859:
837:New York Times slide show. (January 25, 2012). "
752:"Druid Heights: The US' hidden LGBTQ+ community"
541:
441:"Druid Heights: The US' hidden LGBTQ+ community"
839:Druid Heights, a Once-Thriving Bay Area Bohemia
312:Cloud Hidden, a large rock named by Alan Watts.
827:Brown, Patricia Leigh (January 25, 2012). "
707:Brown, Patricia Leigh (January 25, 2012). "
282:
470:In My Own Way: An Autobiography, 1915–1965
847:Silverstein, Nikki. (January 19, 2021). "
488:
486:
464:
462:
703:
701:
582:Mill Valley Historical Society (2012). "
519:"Review—Elsa: Pioneer Lesbian's Odyssey"
302:
222:
155:
785:Genuine Fake: A Biography of Alan Watts
629:
627:
625:
623:
621:
619:
516:
860:
749:
695:". The Mill Valley Historical Society.
637:. San Francisco: Druid Heights Press.
483:
459:
438:
19:For the neighborhood in Maryland, see
928:Geography of Marin County, California
698:
654:
434:
432:
430:
428:
426:
424:
390:
67:
820:Toivonen, Michael (March 4, 2018). "
805:Silber, Judy (September 19, 2012). "
616:
277:National Register of Historic Places
271:, Druid Heights was acquired by the
873:History of Marin County, California
529:(10). San Francisco, California: 21
331:Polynesian and Modern Architecture.
13:
777:
552:"Tribute Paid to Poet Elsa Gidlow"
421:
14:
939:
923:Utopian communities in California
913:1954 establishments in California
903:Art in the San Francisco Bay Area
564:from the original on 30 June 2020
750:Haiken, Melanie (21 June 2023).
655:Rocha, Leo (November 11, 2021).
439:Haiken, Melanie (21 June 2023).
66:
59:
46:
762:from the original on 2023-06-21
743:
734:
725:
678:
667:from the original on 2021-11-11
275:in the 1970s and is now on the
648:
596:
576:
510:
136:was a counterculture enclave
1:
517:Cameron, Kit (January 1987).
414:
108:37.88921500°N 122.564711000°W
822:A Walk Through Druid Heights
339:
269:Muir Woods National Monument
7:
402:
138:in Marin County, California
113:37.88921500; -122.564711000
10:
944:
684:Oldenburg, Chuck (2012). "
307:The Goddess Meditation Hut
151:
18:
800:Marin Independent Journal
492:Davis, Erik (May 2005). "
210:San Francisco Renaissance
146:San Francisco Renaissance
123:
88:
54:
45:
38:
31:
283:Buildings and structures
169:Marin County, California
21:Druid Heights, Baltimore
783:Furlong, Monica (1986)
589:April 15, 2012, at the
499:March 18, 2012, at the
236:and American architect
308:
291:
228:
227:The Alan Watts Library
212:including her friends
204:of the 1960s, and the
160:
80:Location in California
40:Counterculture Enclave
26:Counterculture Enclave
633:Gidlow, Elsa (1986).
557:The Bay Area Reporter
472:. New World Library.
468:Watts, Alan (1972) .
445:Rediscovering America
306:
287:
273:National Park Service
234:Japanese architecture
226:
159:
602:Watts, Alan (1973).
523:The Noe Valley Voice
893:1970s in California
888:1960s in California
883:1950s in California
242:organic agriculture
104: /
720:The New York Times
714:2019-01-16 at the
691:2014-08-15 at the
606:. Pantheon Books.
494:Druids and Ferries
391:Depiction in media
309:
238:Frank Lloyd Wright
229:
200:of the 1950s, the
161:
190:Wuthering Heights
183:(the Druid), and
131:
130:
935:
853:The Pacific Sun.
771:
770:
768:
767:
747:
741:
738:
732:
729:
723:
705:
696:
682:
676:
675:
673:
672:
652:
646:
631:
614:
600:
594:
580:
574:
573:
571:
569:
548:
539:
538:
536:
534:
514:
508:
490:
481:
466:
457:
456:
454:
452:
436:
295:
206:women's movement
119:
118:
116:
115:
114:
109:
105:
102:
101:
100:
99:122°33′52.9596″W
97:
70:
69:
63:
50:
29:
28:
943:
942:
938:
937:
936:
934:
933:
932:
918:Beat Generation
898:Artist colonies
868:Mount Tamalpais
858:
857:
843:New York Times.
833:New York Times.
780:
778:Further reading
775:
774:
765:
763:
748:
744:
739:
735:
730:
726:
716:Wayback Machine
706:
699:
693:Wayback Machine
683:
679:
670:
668:
653:
649:
632:
617:
601:
597:
591:Wayback Machine
581:
577:
567:
565:
550:
549:
542:
532:
530:
515:
511:
501:Wayback Machine
491:
484:
467:
460:
450:
448:
437:
422:
417:
405:
393:
377:Margo St. James
346:Robert Erickson
342:
297:
293:
285:
214:Kenneth Rexroth
202:hippie movement
198:Beat Generation
165:Mount Tamalpais
154:
112:
110:
106:
103:
98:
95:
93:
91:
90:
84:
83:
82:
81:
78:
77:
76:
75:
71:
41:
34:
27:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
941:
931:
930:
925:
920:
915:
910:
905:
900:
895:
890:
885:
880:
875:
870:
856:
855:
845:
835:
825:
818:
803:
796:
779:
776:
773:
772:
742:
733:
724:
697:
677:
647:
615:
595:
575:
540:
509:
482:
458:
419:
418:
416:
413:
412:
411:
404:
401:
392:
389:
388:
387:
384:
379:
374:
371:
368:
363:
358:
353:
348:
341:
338:
337:
336:
332:
328:
325:
322:
319:
316:
313:
286:
284:
281:
265:eminent domain
153:
150:
129:
128:
125:
121:
120:
96:37°53′21.174″N
86:
85:
79:
73:
72:
65:
64:
58:
57:
56:
55:
52:
51:
43:
42:
39:
36:
35:
32:
25:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
940:
929:
926:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
906:
904:
901:
899:
896:
894:
891:
889:
886:
884:
881:
879:
876:
874:
871:
869:
866:
865:
863:
854:
850:
846:
844:
840:
836:
834:
830:
826:
823:
819:
816:
812:
811:Crosscurrents
808:
804:
801:
797:
794:
790:
787:. Heinemann.
786:
782:
781:
761:
757:
753:
746:
737:
728:
721:
717:
713:
710:
704:
702:
694:
690:
687:
686:Druid Heights
681:
666:
662:
661:Vice Magazine
658:
651:
644:
643:0-912932-12-0
640:
636:
630:
628:
626:
624:
622:
620:
613:
609:
605:
599:
592:
588:
585:
584:Druid Heights
579:
563:
559:
558:
553:
547:
545:
528:
524:
520:
513:
506:
502:
498:
495:
489:
487:
479:
475:
471:
465:
463:
446:
442:
435:
433:
431:
429:
427:
425:
420:
410:
409:Redwood Creek
407:
406:
400:
398:
385:
383:
380:
378:
375:
372:
369:
367:
364:
362:
361:Isabel Quallo
359:
357:
354:
352:
349:
347:
344:
343:
333:
329:
326:
323:
320:
317:
314:
311:
310:
305:
301:
296:
290:
280:
278:
274:
270:
266:
261:
258:
254:
250:
245:
243:
239:
235:
225:
221:
219:
215:
211:
207:
203:
199:
194:
193:
191:
186:
182:
178:
174:
170:
166:
158:
149:
147:
143:
139:
135:
134:Druid Heights
126:
122:
117:
89:Coordinates:
87:
74:Druid Heights
62:
53:
49:
44:
37:
33:Druid Heights
30:
22:
852:
842:
832:
810:
799:
784:
764:. Retrieved
755:
745:
736:
727:
719:
680:
669:. Retrieved
660:
650:
634:
603:
598:
578:
566:. Retrieved
555:
531:. Retrieved
526:
522:
512:
504:
469:
449:. Retrieved
447:. BBC Travel
444:
394:
370:Roger Somers
298:
292:
288:
262:
246:
230:
195:
188:
185:Emily Brontë
173:Roger Somers
162:
133:
132:
127:Elsa Gidlow,
756:www.bbc.com
386:David Wills
366:Gary Snyder
351:Elsa Gidlow
249:Elsa Gidlow
218:Gary Snyder
187:(author of
177:Elsa Gidlow
142:Elsa Gidlow
111: /
862:Categories
793:0434274240
766:2023-06-21
671:2021-11-13
478:1577315847
451:24 October
415:References
382:Alan Watts
356:Echo Heron
294:Alan Watts
253:Alan Watts
181:Ella Young
124:Founded by
373:Ed Stiles
340:Residents
175:and poet
760:Archived
712:Archived
689:Archived
665:Archived
587:Archived
562:Archived
497:Archived
403:See also
568:29 June
533:29 June
257:Vallejo
152:History
791:
722:. A15.
641:
612:532215
610:
505:Arthur
476:
507:. 16.
397:Shire
841:".
815:KALW
789:ISBN
639:ISBN
608:OCLC
570:2020
535:2020
474:ISBN
453:2023
251:and
851:".
831:".
809:".
718:.
503:".
167:in
864::
824:".
813:.
758:.
754:.
700:^
663:.
659:.
618:^
554:.
543:^
525:.
521:.
485:^
461:^
443:.
423:^
399:.
279:.
220:.
148:.
817:.
802:.
795:.
769:.
674:.
645:.
572:.
537:.
527:X
480:.
455:.
192:)
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)