Project URL: http://web.colby.edu/thegoodlife
Project Status: Prototype
Starting in the late 1960s, many idealistic young people seeking better lives began to move to rural areas in Maine. Inspired by the social movements of the era and by Helen and Scott Nearing’s best-selling book, Living the Good Life, these “back to the landers” aspired to become self-sufficient and to live in simpler, more environmentally-sustainable ways. They built their own homes, raised their own food, and created vibrant communities outside the American mainstream. This project presents oral histories of participants in the movement and stories about their experiences.