# Why is Takoma Park, Md so full of filthy, filthy hippies? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 28, 2005, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271 "2005-10-28T04:36:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/1 "2005-10-28T04:36:49Z")
I am going to Tokoma Park, MD tomorrow to visit my filthy hippie relatives.šŸ™‚ Every time I visit, I notice that my relatives, their neighbors, and the community at lage seem to be devoted to diversity, multiculturalism, etc. So do the stores in the area. Food co-ops and yoga places right and left. Now, I will ask my relatives about this, but I also want to get the opinions of any posters about this, as well. P.S. I have visited websites talking about the history of the town, but have found no answer. [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takoma_Park,_Maryland) notes I am not imagining it, but gives no cause. > [@](#): > > Takoma Park is known as an extremely liberal community, sometimes called ā€œthe Berkeley of the Eastā€ [1], [2] or, more sarcastically, ā€œthe Peopleā€™s Republic of Takoma Park.ā€ (It was officially declared a ā€œnuclear-free zoneā€ in 1983 by then Mayor Sam Abbott.) In accordance with the townā€™s principles, the law allows even non-citizens to vote in municipal elections. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/2 "2005-10-28T06:27:21Z")
Heh. A place where I used to do maint in TP had some interesting tenants-very cool people. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/3 "2005-10-28T07:52:40Z")
I would imagine theyā€™re trying to get away from people who consider them filthy, filthy hippies. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/4 "2005-10-28T11:46:53Z")
Itā€™s not odd that thereā€™s a filthy, filthy hippie town. Iā€™ve lived in several and I tend to prefer them. . .but the difference was, they all had colleges in them. Maybe thereā€™s a clue here. . . [http://www.takomagov.org/index.html](http://www.takomagov.org/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/5 "2005-10-28T11:53:47Z")
We almost moved to Takoma Park at one point. Came within a gnatā€™s whisker of buying a three story colonial there. As for why it is? Iā€™m sure itā€™s an accident of history. Possibly related to the relatively close proximity of the University of Maryland. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Corrado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e4f/32.png) [@John\_Corrado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Corrado)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/6 "2005-10-28T13:04:58Z")
Not sure how it started, but I think itā€™s one of those ā€œhippies bring hippiesā€ places now: after the mayor declared TP a ā€œnuclear-free zoneā€ in '83, it got a national reputation as a Berkeley-type place, and therefore attracted people who would, well, be at home in a Berkeley-type place. I donā€™t think it has much to do with Universities; U of MD is a bit of a haul away, and the colleges in Takoma are tiny things. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/7 "2005-10-28T16:06:08Z")
Years ago we rounded them up and kicked them out of their motherā€™s basements in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, and they had to settle somewhere, Silver Spring said ā€œNo thanks!ā€ so it was off to Takoma Park. Lazy Maryland hippies always roost close to home. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/8 "2005-10-28T16:20:12Z")
> [@John Corrado](#): > > I donā€™t think it has much to do with Universities; U of MD is a bit of a haul away, and the colleges in Takoma are tiny things. I wouldnā€™t call it a haulā€¦ itā€™s probably a 10 or 15 minute drive to the University from Takoma Park, depending on traffic. Iā€™ve had to drive it enough timesā€¦ šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![krisolov](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/krisolov/32/3724_2.png) [@krisolov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krisolov)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/9 "2005-10-28T16:27:14Z")
does it have anything to do with the close proximity to the 7th day adventists? thereā€™s a bunch of schools, a hospital, etcā€¦ all 7th day adventist in Takoma Park. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/10 "2005-10-28T16:30:06Z")
Hell, they own one of the tiny colleges **John Corrado** mentioned. That could be it, or it might not. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/11 "2005-10-28T17:55:49Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > Hell, they own one of the tiny colleges **John Corrado** mentioned. That could be it, or it might not. In all seriousness if you _really_ want to know why hippies ((luv)) TP over the years the Washington Post has done at least one or two extensive historical profiles addressing TPā€™s status as counter culture magnet and the in depth history of how it got that way. Some short stuff [Takoma Park History](http://cityoftakomapark.org/library/reference/tphistory/index.html) [Hippy Havens](http://www.hippy.com/havens2.htm) [A long-time vegetarian co-op confronts ā€œthe meat issueā€](http://cooperativegrocer.coop/articles/index.php?id=549) > [@](#): > > She is, the Post quotes a neighbor, ā€œa little bit strange, a bit of a characterā€¦a Takoma Park-type person.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/12 "2005-10-28T18:18:25Z")
Good links, **astro**. I liked this bit about TP in the second one, > [@](#): > > To benefit our large illegal alien population, who can vote, we have a tradition of hiring police chiefs committed to not cooperating with the IMF. ---
**Author:** ![tarragon918](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@tarragon918](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tarragon918)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/13 "2005-10-29T01:38:25Z")
Hee! Look at the adverts - for hippie clothing and Yoga! There might be something to the 7th Day Adventist connection; thereā€™s certainly a link between the Adventists and vegetarians. I love visiting TP - they have a great year-round farmerā€™s market (which is finally back to itā€™s regular location!) and lots of very interesting (though sometimes pricey) shops. I also visit the TP-SS Co-op when I can - good bulk foods, good prices and good natural food selection. TP can be quite quirky, though! A friend told me of a friend of hers who had a tree that he wanted to cut down, and he had to go through all kinds of hoops to be able to do it. _laughs_ When he finally received permission, the guy he hired came out, but had forgotten to bring the permit; a neighbor called the police, and the police arrived to ā€œprotectā€ the tree!!! At that point, unfortunately, the tree was nearly down, and because of the delay it ended up smashing into the roof of the friendā€™s house. ā˜¹ All I could think of, though, was the policeman standing there to protect the tree. Geeze louise! Now thatā€™s Takoma Park quirkiness, imho. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/14 "2005-10-29T02:49:07Z")
> [@John Corrado](#): > > Not sure how it started, but I think itā€™s one of those ā€œhippies bring hippiesā€ places now: after the mayor declared TP a ā€œnuclear-free zoneā€ in '83, it got a national reputation as a Berkeley-type place, and therefore attracted people who would, well, be at home in a Berkeley-type place. > > I donā€™t think it has much to do with Universities; U of MD is a bit of a haul away, and the colleges in Takoma are tiny things. You ever see the South Park episode ā€œDie Hippy, Dieā€? I figure that itā€™s probably along those lines. Now, whether or not you need the vehicle from _The Core_ to get to the middle ot Takoma Park is another question. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/15 "2005-10-29T03:08:33Z")
We have a small hippie haven here in SW Ohio. Itā€™s the Village of [Yellow Springs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Springs). Nice place, actually. It has a good book store, and a nice pub. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/16 "2005-10-29T15:30:32Z")
> [@krisolov](#): > > does it have anything to do with the close proximity to the 7th day adventists? thereā€™s a bunch of schools, a hospital, etcā€¦ all 7th day adventist in Takoma Park. :dubious: What would that have to do with anything? I suppose 7th Day Adventists might be different in MD, but itā€™d be impossible to mistake one of the ones Iā€™ve known for a dirty hippy, especially since the adults Iā€™ve known have taken the whole ā€œcleanliness is next to Godlinessā€ thing to heart. Except, perhaps the fact that both groups tend to wear skirts - but only women 7th Day Adventists wear skirts, unlike the hippy guys I went to college withā€¦skirts over pants arenā€™t cool, man. ---
**Author:** ![OLAP\_Cube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ba9def/32.png) [@OLAP\_Cube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OLAP_Cube)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/17 "2006-02-03T15:33:42Z")
Heh, I grew up right down the road from TP and knew quite a few people who lived there. Fun little town. If you get a chance, you simply must check out the [Annual Folk Festival](http://www.tpff.org/). Mucho fun. TP is not nearly as ā€œhippieā€ as it used to be, if you can imagine that. Itā€™s a true melting pot town, with all types of different people, but still predominately liberal: _White Non-Hispanic (44.2%) Black (34.0%) Hispanic (14.4%)_ ---
**Author:** ![usar\_jag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@usar\_jag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usar_jag)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/18 "2006-02-03T15:52:57Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > **Why is Takoma Park, Md so full of filthy, filthy hippies?** This message brought to you by the U.S. Department of Redundancy Department. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-takoma-park-md-so-full-of-filthy-filthy-hippies/328271/19 "2006-02-03T16:14:35Z")
Zombie. Stake. Heart. Closed.