West Coboho The Bohemian movement firmly established itself in the far off Kingdom of West County in the 60’ and ’70’s and never left. By the end of this story you will know the whats and whys of our BOHO culture, and maybe find a little more bohemian inside you than you think. Questions and Answers What is Bohemian? Where did it come from? How did it become cool? How big is the movement? Why is West co so bo ho Do U have Bohemian DNA? Where is BOHO Going? boho Bohemianism lies rooted in a rich and meaningful past. Moreover, its ethos carries a surprising relevance today… even in a Fools Day Parade. Bohemianism is the fastest growing new religion/lifestyle in the world. source: subcultures.com Origins of the Bohemian Movement The Kingdom of Bohemia ‘Bohemian,’ as commonly (later a region of used in the West for the last Czechoslovakia), were two centuries, means a nomadic people often person who lives an vilified being called the unconventional lifestyle, Gypsies or Romany, later often with few permanent called “bohemians” in ties, involving musical, France. artistic, or literary pursuits. The term Bohemianism emerged in France in the early 19th century when artists and creators began to concentrate in the lower- rent, lower class gypsy neighborhoods. source: Wikipedia and subcultures.com Murger established the idea that this new breed of artists and writers were operating with a sense of higher purpose— pursuing, as the Bohemian mantra proclaims, ‘Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Love’ above all else. This new ‘freedom’ gave rise to novels like George Du Maurier’s Trilby, a wildly popular book that depicted an eclectic and idealized group of young Bohemians in Paris. This novel achieved a reach significant enough to extend the notion of Bohemianism across the pond. Trilby greatly ‘affected the habits of American youth, particularly young women, who derived from it the courage to call themselves artists and “bachelor girls,” to smoke cigarettes and drink Chianti. Bohemia of the West In the 1850’s American young, cultured journalists flourished as self-described "bohemians" until the American Civil War. During the war, reporters began to assume the title "bohemian," and newspapermen in general took up the moniker. "Bohemian" Mark Twain became synonymous with "newspaper writer". California journalist Bret Harte first wrote as "The Bohemian" in Bret Harte The Golden Era in 1861. Harte Charles described San Francisco as a Stoddard sort of Bohemia of the West. Mark Twain called himself and poet Charles Warren Stoddard bohemians in 1867. Ina Coolbrith The Bohemian movement of the East caught fire in San Francisco and became a full blown culture excerpts from the Bohemians.. “In 1860s San Francisco had become a complex urban society virtually overnight. The bards of the moment are the Bohemians: a young Mark Twain, fleeing the draft and seeking adventure; literary golden boy Bret Harte; struggling gay poet Charles Warren Stoddard; and beautiful, haunted Ina Coolbrith, poet and protectorate of the group. Together they created a new American literature, unfettered by the heavy European influence that dominated the East.” “The star of the moment is Bret Harte, a rising figure on the national scene. Young and ambitious, Twain and Harte form the Bohemian core”. “The Bohemian movement would continue in Boston, New York, and London, and would achieve immortality in the writings of Mark Twain. San Francisco gave him his education as a writer and helped inspire the astonishing innovations that radically reimagined American literature”. “These Bohemians in the western frontier changed our country and culture forever.” The Bohemian Club from bohemian beginnings to bourgeois bankers The Bohemian Club was originally formed in 1872 by and for journalists who wished to promote a fraternal connection among men who enjoyed the arts. The Bohemian Club was organized at the Chronicle by members of the journalism staff. The boys wanted a place where they could get together after work. Journalists were to be regular members; artists and musicians were to be honorary members. The group quickly relaxed its rules for membership to permit some people to join Oscar Wilde, upon visiting the club who had little artistic talent, but enjoyed the in 1882, is reported to have said "I arts and had greater financial resources. never saw so many well-dressed, well-fed, business-looking Eventually, the original "bohemian" members Bohemians in my life." were in the minority and the wealthy and powerful controlled the club. When the Bohemian Club was founded, this plaque was installed on their building commemorating Bret Harte as the soul of San Francisco journalism and the Bohemian movement. California journalist Bret Harte first wrote as "The Bohemian" in The Golden Era in 1861, with this persona taking part in many satirical doings. Harte described San Francisco as a sort of Bohemia of the West. This plaque depicts many of his characters. “The tradition of a summer encampment was established six years after the Bohemian Club was formed. In 1878, a 100 Bohemians gathered in the Redwoods in Marin County (present-day Samuel P. Taylor State Park) for an evening of freely flowing liquor, some Japanese lanterns that put a glow on the festivities, and club members then retired at a late hour to the modest comfort of blankets laid on the dense mat of Redwood needles”. By 1882 the members of the Club camped together at various locations in both Marin and Sonoma County, including the present-day Muir Woods and a redwood grove that once stood near Duncans Mills. In 1899 the Club purchased land from Melvin Cyrus Meeker who had developed a successful logging operation in the area. Gradually over the next decades, wealthy members of the Club purchased land surrounding the original location to the perimeter of the basin in which it resides. What is the largest private land holding in West County? Bohemian Grove is a 2,700-acre private campground located in Monte Rio, California, belonging to the San Francisco-based men's club known as the Bohemian Club. In mid-July each year, Bohemian Grove hosts a two- week, three-weekend encampment of some of the most prominent men in the world. The Club tried many location for their Redwood retreats, but 120 years ago they decided that Muir Woods was too close, but West County was ‘far out’. Whether by dirt trail, railroad, or paved byway… it has always been called the ‘Bohemian Highway’. The two-lane roadway known as the Bohemian Highway winds across 10 miles of western Sonoma County, through towering redwoods, serene pastures, rocky ravines, and the tiny hamlets of Monte Rio, Occidental, and Freestone. This relatively short stretch of roadway is one of the most scenic and pastoral drives to be found anywhere in California. One of the first areas in the region to attract settlers, this corridor is protected from the extremes of the marine fog and the inland heat, creating a gem of a benign climate. Today, the Bohemian Highway is home to a unique and soulful community of artists and nature lovers. Boho Suspended Every era in history has its own counter-culture movement, and these movements tend to come in waves. The Bohemian "movement" of 19th Century Paris had two generations before it was put on hold by wars and economic chaos. A Bohemian lifestyle was also postponed in the US during the first half of the 20th century because of wars & depression. Survival instincts seem to become a priority in bad times. In the next article we will examine how BOHO comes back bigger than ever..