County Chucks Out 1971 'Anti-Hippie Law'

Woodstock-era law banned huge gatherings
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jan 4, 2021 2:21 PM CST
After 50 Years, County Repeals 'Anti-Hippie' Law
Next stop, LaGrange County?   (Getty Images/William87)

Peace, love—and LaGrange. LaGrange County in northern Indiana has repealed a 1971 law that was intended to block huge gatherings like the 1969 Woodstock music festival in New York state, the AP reports. "I called it our anti-hippie ordinance," county commissioner Dennis Kratz said with a smile. The ordinance regulated large gatherings that lasted more than 12 hours and involved more than 500 people, the News Sun reports. The law was recently dropped as part of an effort to repeal ordinances that have no practical use but have been on the books for as long as 100 years, especially certain traffic restrictions. County attorney Kurt Bachman's research lasted three years. "There were, during that process, lots of things that made us go, ‘what?’ ... It’s been an amazing learning process," said Bachman. (More hippies stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X