HOUSEHOLDS
Whimsical and Creative Names of Group Houses and Collectives
1960 – 1989
By Joe Tougas
One of the interesting practices that was characteristic of the Olywa local culture in the 1970s was the naming of the various houses and households. From the beginning of the food conspiracies there was a practical reason for this. When the food was divided among the different houses, typically using cardboard boxes or large shopping bags, there was a need to identify which box belonged to which house. This activity was called the “breakdown” and took place at one of the member houses on a rotating basis. Over time that naming practice expanded so that after a while memorable names were being given to houses that were not associated with any food conspiracy, but as a kind of social identifier and opportunity for creative group expression.
The number of houses with names ballooned over time. Recently, when a request went out for people’s memories of those named households, the response was huge. Here is a list of over a hundred names dredged up from peoples’ memories and documents. Of course this list is far from perfect. There are inaccuracies, missing names, and downright fantasies, so if you spot any wrong information, please report it to us via the “Contact Us” or “Comments” links in the Olywa Days of Change website. Any corrections, member names, or memorable events at any of these houses would be appreciated.
A-Frame
Akimbo
Anna Mae Aquash late ’70s, early ’80s; lesbian house; Helen Thornton
Ascension Ascension St. 1974; member of Foote St. food club
Alexander Berkman Collective aka ABC House, Amazon Boot Camp, ASBLEU (Asian, Black, European); 2 locations: #1–5th and Foote 1973, #2–4th and Sherman 1974; Susan Davenport, Tessa Martinez, Bill Knowles, Tom Clingman, Thom Thacker, John Day, Michi Thacker, Debe Edden, Malika Edden, Teresa McDowell, Melissa Roberts, many others
Bad Manors Rick Fellows
Barn Swallow Hollow near Maytown; lesbian farm; Nancy Sigafoos
Blanco y Negro 5th and Sherman 1974; Greg Falxa, John Woo
Black Hole of Calcutta near Salvation Army; Doug Riddels
Blink Valley Loree Gardner
Blue
Bodini
Brandywine House Rick Fellows
Bread and Roses
Buffalo Chip
Burnt Toast Rick Fellows
Carnivore Club Foote and Vine; George and Brenda
Cascadia
Central House 200 block of N.E. Central; Hilary Canty, Hank Date
Chateau Tooloose Short-lived commune on Foote; Doug Riddels
Cold Comfort Farm Kamilche; Bill and Richenda Richardson, Joe Tougas
Common Ground 17th; CSA farm; Nancy Laich
Condozo Foote St., 1974
Conundrum Kathy Paulson
CrisSara House
Crystal Cave Gordon White
Delphi Oh My! Rick Fellows
Division House 1954 Division St.; Oakley Sisters, Nancy Gofourth
Dyke Dorms above Drees; Jane Kaufman, Catherine Williamson, Loree Gardner
Dyke Farms
East Bay House
Ela Alvy House Daniel Faber
Embassy of the Dripping Moon 15th; Doug Riddles
Emma Goldman Collective 2 locations: #1–Bowman St. below Rogers 1972, #2–6th and Foote 1973; Don Martin, David Smullin, Bob Grochow, Garth Broyda, Geoff Rothwell, Peter May, Beth Harris, Will Campbell, Ellen Green, Grace Cox, Tina Nehrling, many others
Even Worse
Experiment in International Living A squat by the parkway; Rick Fellows
Farmers Wholesale Co-op Steven Buxbaum, Rick Kramer, David Phillips
Fertile Ground Debbie Leung
Friggleby by the Bay Pat Holm
Foote Street House Sandra Simon
Frog Farm Dawn Harper, Susan Grant, Don Freas, Jim Cubbage, Sprout Farm
Fucking Evergreeners
Goldflower Brigade
Green Mansion East Bay Drive; Ken Hill, Bill Hillman,Tom Andrson
Harmony Farm
Honey House Greg Falxa
Hot Meat Lust Brenda Schwartz
House at Pooh Corner Dana, Ellen Gordon
House of Slugs
Howard’s Rosenfeld
Hunga Dunga Brothers Steve Thomas, Bill Smith
Hyades Jody Skinner
IOCWAT aka In Our Community We are All Together; Peg Wortman, Anna Schlecht
Insect Torture Institute
Kalliope Farm aka Wise Acres Overhulse 1974; Fruitland Famine Band
Kinky Hollow Boys’ Ranch
Klondike House
L&M House Lance and Marsha Ernest
Little Egypt Farm Susan Rosen
Lumpen House John, Paul Wollman
Lupine House aka Klondike House Madrona Rd.; 4 Obrador musicians
Maitrea Jenny Reisner
Magic Forest aka House in the Woods 1974; Carol Bartel, Frank Gang, Mark Newman
McPhee House McPhee Rd; distribution hub for food conspiracy
Mermaid Cafe 5th St.
Mike’s Place
Mill House
Millet House Lorree Gardner, Marta Shoman, Sara Madsen, Lew Johns, Greg Reinemer
Mix Road House Jane Bell
Moldy Manor Krag Unsoeld
Moldy Point Steamboat Island; Kelso, Spencer
Moth Manor
Nanny Noodles Cappy Thompson
Nut Hatch
Order of the Royal Bagel Rob Fellows
Owl Meadow Teepee community; Doug Riddels
Pear Street House
Phi Bita Dicka
Phoenix House Roxanne McPherson; a distribution center for food conspiracy
Point-no-Point House
Raging Women Jean Eberhardt
Rayn Ffogan House
Red House
Revolting Women
Ringolevio Eastside ’80s; Doug Riddels
Route 15 House
Seven Cedars Ant Farm
Seventh Floropia Rick Fellows; a commune in A-Dorm;
Shady Deal
Shaggy Mane House
Slug Hollow aka The House of Slugs; Rick Fellows
Spindrift Rick Fellows; a co-counseling group house
Steamboat
Suburbia in the Woods Renne Selkiark
Sunny Muffin Farm Overhulse
Swamp House Pear St; a spring ran thru the basement
Tapka
The Track House
TTLG Through the Looking Glass
Trout Farm Collective Delphi c. 1972; John Hartung, Carolyn McEntyre
Tundra
Turquoise House Mud Bay and Kaiser; Amy Sohler
United Friends of Olympia Rick Fellows
Uptown Apartment Tenants Association Doug Riddels
Vine Street House Vine and Foote 1974; Doug Wold, Tom Lumkin
View of Olympia
Walnut Association Tom Clingman
Walnut House Jim Cubbage, Julia Rabinowitz, Steve Langer
Witch House
Yogurt Farm 14th; home of YoYo studio; Pat Maley
Collectives, Businesses, Nonprofits, etc.
Ala Mode Restaurant
Apple Jam–YWCA music venue
Artemis Construction–women building contractors
Artichoke Mode Restaurant
Assorted Artists’ Studios
Asterisk and Cheese Library
Bike Stand
Black Walnut Association–land trust
Blanco y Negro–silkscreen studio
Blue Heron Bakery
Cafe Intermezzo–Carolyn Street LaFond
Cascadia Research Collective
Childhood’s End Gallery
Danger Room Comics
Dice T-Shirts
Earth Magic
Farmers Wholesale Co-op
Fellowship of Reconciliation
FIST – Feminists in Self-Defence Training
Gnu Deli Restaurant
Hard Rain Printing Collective
Herb & Onion Restaurant – later Urban Onion
Hunga Dunga Brothers – remodelers
K Records
Mansion Glass
Nozama Construction – women building contractors
Null Set–coffee shop – Pat Holm
Olympia Farmers Market
Olympia Film Society
Olympia Food Co-op
OWCH – Olympia Women’s Center for Health
Radiance – herbs and massage
Rainbow Grocery – Laura May & Andrew Abraham
Rainbow Restaurant – Laura May & Andrew
Rainy Day Records
Seven Gables Restaurant
Sherwood Press
Smithfield – coffee shop – Shannon Osborne & Stewart Boyle
The Book Store – Founded by Carol McKinley
The Cinema – art house films
Yoyo Studio