History of Bohemian Grove in Timeline

Bohemian Grove is a 2,700-acre campground in Monte Rio, California, owned by the Bohemian Club. Since 1878, it has hosted an annual, mid-July gathering lasting over two weeks. The event is invitation-only, attracting prominent members and guests from the realms of politics, business, and the arts. It functions as a retreat and networking opportunity for the elite.

1902: First Grove Play Performed

In 1902, the first Grove Play was performed. It is a large-scale musical theatrical production, written and composed by club members.

1913: Cremation of Care Separated from Grove Plays

In 1913, the Cremation of Care ceremony was separated from the other Grove Plays and moved to the first night of the summer encampment to exorcise the Demon to ensure the success of the ensuing two weeks.

1928: Death of Ina Coolbrith

In 1928, poet Ina Coolbrith, who served as the club’s librarian and was an honorary member, died. Since her death in 1928, no additional honorary members have been appointed.

1929: Owl Shrine Serves as Backdrop for Cremation of Care

Since 1929, the Owl Shrine, a 30-foot hollow owl statue, has served as the backdrop of the yearly Cremation of Care ceremony at Bohemian Grove.

September 1942: Early Manhattan Project Planning Meeting

In September 1942, Bohemian Grove hosted a meeting related to the early planning of the Manhattan Project. Key participants included Ernest Lawrence, J. Robert Oppenheimer, members of the S-1 Executive Committee, and representatives from major universities, industry, and the U.S. military. The discussions during this meeting contributed to the development of the atomic bomb.

1943: Grove Play Dark During World War II

From 1943 to 1945, during World War II, the Grove Play stage was dark for three years.

1950: Eisenhower and Nixon Meet at Bohemian Grove

In July of 1950, Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon met for the first time at Bohemian Grove as guests of Herbert Hoover at Cave Man Camp. Hoover gave a toast, and Eisenhower gave a short speech. Nixon was in the middle of his Senate campaign at the time.

1952: 1952 United States presidential election

In 1952, Hoover's associates and friends were more inclined to support Ohio senator Robert A. Taft in the upcoming 1952 United States presidential election. At the meeting in 1950, they were interested in hearing what the potential future president Eisenhower had to say.

March 4, 1953: Herbert Hoover Inducted into Old Guard

On March 4, 1953, former U.S. president Herbert Hoover was inducted into the Bohemian Club’s Old Guard, having joined the club 40 years prior. Redwood branches from the Grove were flown to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City to decorate a banquet room for the occasion.

May 13, 1971: Nixon's Comments on Bohemian Grove

On May 13, 1971, President Richard Nixon made comments on tape about the Bohemian Grove, calling it "the most faggy goddamned thing you could ever imagine, with that San Francisco crowd."

1975: Cost of Grove Play Estimated

In 1975, an observer estimated that the Grove Play cost between $20,000 and $30,000.

1978: Bohemian Club Charged with Discrimination

In 1978, the Bohemian Club was charged with discrimination by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing over its refusal to hire female employees.

January 1981: Administrative Law Judge Supports Club Practices

In January 1981, an administrative law judge issued a decision supporting the practices of the Bohemian Club, noting that the presence of females would alter club members' behavior. It supported the club's refusal to hire female employees.

October 17, 1981: Commission Orders Club to Hire Women

On October 17, 1981, the State Fair Employment and Housing Commission overruled the administrative law judge's decision and ordered the Bohemian Club to begin recruiting and hiring women as employees.

1984: Logging Activities Underway Since 1984

Since 1984, logging activities have been underway within the 2,712 acres owned by the Bohemian Club. Approximately 11,000,000 board feet of lumber equivalents were removed from the surrounding forest from 1984 to 2007.

1987: California Supreme Court Denies Review

In 1987, the Supreme Court of California denied review of a ruling regarding the Bohemian Club's hiring practices, effectively forcing the club to begin hiring female workers during the summer encampment at the Grove.

1995: California Senate Bill SB 2110 Debate

In 1995, the ruling against Bohemian club was discussed during the floor debate surrounding California Senate Bill SB 2110, a proposed law concerning whether tax-exempt organizations should be exempt from the Unruh Civil Rights Act.

2006: Club Forester Resigns Over Logging Pressure

In 2006, the Bohemian Club's forester, Edward Tunheim, resigned over club pressure to increase logging, concerned that excessive logging would increase the fire danger.

2007: Number of Camps in Bohemian Grove

As of 2007, there were 118 sleeping quarters, known as camps, distributed throughout the Grove. These camps serve as social units through which personal, business, and political relationships are formed.

2007: Lumber Removed from Forest

From 1984 to 2007, approximately 11,000,000 board feet (26,000 m3) of lumber equivalents were removed from the surrounding redwood and Douglas fir forest.

2007: Application for Nonindustrial Logging Permit Filed

In 2007, the Bohemian Club board filed an application for a nonindustrial logging permit to steadily increase their logging in the second-growth stands.

March 10, 2011: Judge Rejects Logging Plan

On March 10, 2011, Judge René A. Chouteau rejected the Non-Industrial Timber Management Plan (NTMP) that the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection had approved for the Bohemian Club. The suit was brought by the Sierra Club and the Bohemian Redwood Rescue Club.

2019: Lynda Hopkins Criticizes Bohemian Club

In 2019, Sonoma County Board of Supervisors member Lynda Hopkins published an open letter criticizing the Bohemian Club’s exclusion of women, its limited local investment, and what she described as outdated attitudes.

2019: Sonoma County to End Law Enforcement Security

In 2019, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors informed the Bohemian Club that after that year, the county would no longer provide law enforcement security for the Grove.