In our first episode of Promise of Paradise, which aired on November 15, 2018, we'll hear interviews with two women who came to the region in the back to the land era.
Prue Wilcox' stories of being a newcomer in Elk are truly iconic, from her memories of a wedding and a birth to her first encounters with hippie culture and the freewheeling attitudes about pot.
Anne Shirako, of Elk Valley in the Mendocino National Forest, remembers what it was like to live in a canvas yurt for sixteen years, using Japanese country technology for cooking, bathing, and heating her home. I talked with Anne last summer, and by the time we aired this piece, the property she talked about had been reduced to "ash and trash" by the Ranch fire. You can see pictures and read more about the history of the "Japanese hippies and beatnik veterans" on the Gofundme page for the cleanup, maintained by Yoshiki Sakane.
On this page, you can listen to the original episode with both women's stories, as well as the longer, individual interviews. Keep an eye out for full transcripts and more photos!