HOUSEHOLDS

Whimsical and Creative Names of Group Houses and Collectives
1960 – 1989

By Joe Tougas

Cold Comfort Farm

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. 

Foote Street neighbors from Emma Goldman, Alexander Berkman, Vine Street, and Meat Lust

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

Captain Coyotes

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

Dream Drip Motel

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, Maggie Simms, 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 – Carol Elwood, Jean Eberhardt, Becca Tood, 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

Lopi Cayenne

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

Poverty Flats Sande Sanders and daughter Ginny, Penny Martindale, Mic Harper, Beth Harris

Raging Women Jean Eberhardt, Joyce Kilmer, Elizabeth Bolles, Barbo Holland 

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 

Valley of the Dolls

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

Yin Yang – Richard Gaines, PG Coon

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

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3 thoughts on “Whimsical and Creative Names of Group Houses and Collectives 1960 – 1989 – By Joe Tougas”

  1. A named house not on the list, we only existed for about two years in the early 80’s, was Poverty Flats. The house is still there on Conger Street half a block off Harrison. Started with Penny Martindale, my daughter, Ginny and myself, Sande Sanders. Mick Harper lived in the attic of the garage for a few months and when Penny moved out, Beth Harris lived there for a while. We were members of one of the income sharing groups that included a couple of houses on the Westside. I am grateful to the women who befriended my daughter and I and helped us get through a couple of years while she was growing up. Olympia is and always has been a special place in my heart. I think of it as home because its as close to a home town as I ever had. I know I’ll always find a friend somewhere there when ever I come back for a visit or to stay for a while, as I have done several times now over the last five decades.

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  2. I was told by Richard Gaines I live in the Yin yang house at Cushing & Garfield.

    Budget Tapes & Records was near The Smithfield.

    Captain Coyotes was up on Harrison at the former Mud Bay Granary.

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