 Welcome to the Woodstock - Preservation Archives Dedicated to the Historic Preservation of the Site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival THE WOODSTOCK SITE Hurd & West Shore Rds Sullivan County Bethel NY |
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Welcome to the Woodstock - Preservation Archives Dedicated to the Historic Preservation of the Site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival THE WOODSTOCK SITE Hurd & West Shore Rds Sullivan County Bethel NY |
| MEMORIES OF WOODSTOCK AND 1969 MEMORIES ARE ALWAYS WELCOME HERE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOURS INCLUDED, PLEASE EMAIL JOANNE |
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Date: 11/17/2005
Time: 11:46:47 PM
Remote User:
Comments
Me and my best friend were new comers to this country, we both came
to the State of MD in 1966. We new very little about woodstock
festival. Our only dream was to hear Hendrix play his guitar, an
instrument that we both play a little since we are Hispanics, we
also like the music of Crosby, Still, Nash and young and of course
our idol Carlos Santana. Never imagin that simple us at that time
were small part of such big unforgetable festival that made
history........Yes we remember exactly what was happening in the USA
and the world in 1969. seeking the peace and love as we still strive
for, ever since, and today. This memory will always bring a tear to
our eyes........of joy and sadness. keep up the good work and make
it a great day!!! my email is ecastellanos48@hotmail.com my name is
enrique castellanos
Date: 2/7/2006
Time: 5:44:09 AM
Remote User:
Comments
The time was 1969...Love was in the air...A people came together at
a gathering..through rain and cold...endured..For the love of peace
and music..It was our time...It was beautiful..Everyone was
beautiful to each other..As the crowds listened to the bands
...Never knowing it would go down in history/ as a concert of love
and peace...We were free.....Anyone who has seen the film Woodstock
can tell how much love feeled the air..And so it was Bunsmac
Date: 2/7/2006
Time: 12:02:52 PM
Remote User:
Comments
The summer of 69 was special... Four friends from Westchester Miami.
Bob Del Pozo, Mike Lawson, Skip Hitt & Ross Bloomfield traveled from
Miami Fla. to New York to see and experiance the music that made
those three day's a life time memory. Again in 1998 I traveled to
revisit the site... A Day In The Garden. My family along with stage
manager Mitch ( Londo ) Fennell who was a stage hand @ the 69
festival.We spent three day's on site listening to a new generation
of Musicains along with some of the original Musicians.. Ten Years
After, Peter Townshend & Joni Mitchel performed. Thank you & keep up
the great work.....Yes it was special for those of us that attended
in 69.
Date: 2/10/2006
Time: 12:36:02 AM
Remote User:
Comments
Wow , Im 56 years old now and tears come to my eyes as I looked over
some of these pictures. The summer of 69 I was 20 and it was such a
wonderful time in life. Dear God, Please make it all go away now and
bring back the good times. Times of love times of laughter times not
to ever be forgotten, and I haven't. I hope some day that God will
bring us all together again for those good times once more. Music ,
it is a wonderful thing, lets not ever forget Woodstock .....Peace ,
.....jimbo
Date: 3/27/2006
Time: 8:50:58 PM
Remote User:
Comments
It is unfortunate that i was born many years after Woodstock took
place, i'm only 16 and look at pictures my uncle George has from the
event. I wish I could have been there.john rio
Date: 5/17/2006
Time: 11:15:48 AM
Remote User:
Comments
Peace and love. What a wonderful link, I will pass it on too. It's
refreshing to see that there are people keeing the 60's alive. I
still wear my Levi 501's and peace signs. My personal email is
thelilacflower@yahoo.com Donna Any vegetarians out there come and
see us. We have recipes for you.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vegetarian_group/
Date: 5/23/2006
Time: 9:24:14 AM
Remote User:
Comments
I heard mitch passed...is this true? We were friends in Miami...
Many good times together...great guy...
Date: 6/9/2006
Time: 10:40:05 PM
Remote User:
Comments
I went to woodstock with two wonderful ladies. We had made explicit
arrangements to hook up with with a bunch of friends when we got
there. Needless to say, those arrangements to park at a specified
place at the "official parking lot" listed in the info you got when
you bought tickets (yes we really bought tickets) were useless. The
only person I ran into while at the festival was the father of some
friends of mine. He had gone up several days in advance and parked
his pick up camper near the pond where folks were skinny dippin'. He
had come equiped with plenty of food and a case of wine. He was
having the time of his life. I have so many incredible memories of
an event that was and is one of the most fantastic experiences of my
life. I turned 18 on Sunday August 18th, 1969. What a birthday!
Peace, Edwin 2Trees
Date: 8/3/2006
Time: 1:11:42 PM
Remote User:
Comments
The calendar's pages is flipped to August so we are rolling up to
the 37th anniversary, insert one cosmic "Wow!" I still have my 3 day
ticket, now under glass, with a reprinted poster, and the official
festival program, which I fished out of the mud on the long trek out
of the festival grounds, Monday, August 18. It still is stained with
the muck, mire, and mud of that legendary weekend.. And I still
retain my memories of it,too. I went with three friends from our
itlle Mass. hometown, driven into the fesitval site by another pal
in a borrowed Pontiac Firebird. He turned around and drove against
all that traffic to return the car before it was missed. We switched
from hitching east back into Mass to heading south to NYC as so much
traffic went that way. It still tokk us an extra day of walking &
thumbing to make the short trip into the city and a bus ride home.
My major memories are: Going to sleep that Friday night, in the open
air ina sleeping bag, having made the comment, "This'll be fun, if
it doesn't rain". I was there to see Cocker, the Band, the Dead, and
Jeff Beck. Beck was billed but didn't play. And of course Dylan, who
wasn't billed, but we all knew he would play since we were in his
backyard The mud, the rain, the mud. Woodstock, the Movie, was
better than the concert beacuse it was less crowded, and
drier.....but Sly and Santana got us ALL dancing. Two weeks later,
to the day, I was having my long hair shaved off,and I was inducted
into the US Air Force, where I eventually fought the Hash Wars in
Germany..and saw Jeff Beck. Peace to all in the Woodstock Noation,
may your lives be full of that ineffable joy we experienced in '69
when we realised there were an awful lot of "us". And may your
clothes be dry. Craig Roche mrkite1@cox.net
Date: 8/3/2006
Time: 10:50:28 PM
Remote User:
Comments
Afterward, we walked a few hours to find my VW bug. It had been
pushed down toward a ravine, apparently to make room for another
parker. A bunch of guys and one really beautiful girl that I still
dream about actually lifted and moved my VW up to the road's
shoulder. Everything beforehand is kinda too difficult to describe,
except .... We made it home to West Virginia and everybody, all six
of us in the bug, graduated from college. A couple of years later,
the bug rotted down, but I still feel guilty about not saving it. I
wanted a VW bus at the time and an artist friend had painted one for
me that I couldn't refuse. It had an eyeball on the front and Sgt.
Pepper everyplace else. My first novel was published in June, 2006
-- took a while. If you went to Woodstock or appreciate its
heritage, I'm confident that "Rarity from the Hollow"will help you
get off. Robert Eggleton
Date: 8/5/2006
Time: 11:58:10 AM
Remote User:
Comments
I am looking to find some original woodstockers for some like minded
e mailing, and also I am interested in going back to the farm in 09'
and will gladly join in lending a hand if any reunion is planned.
This is important to me - any info will be appreciated. thanks-
anita aandkinfla@earthlink.net
Date: 8/30/2006
Time: 8:30:40 PM
Remote User:
Comments
A painted VW bus, not much food, but plenty of grass-so many friends
new and otherwise-it was an experience of a lifetime-something we
will never see the likes of again-I am glad I was there-I am glad I
have the memories-Diana-diana.drugas@comcast.net
Date: 9/3/2006
Time: 5:54:59 PM
Remote User:
Comments
Hi.....My roommates and I got to the end of the driveway and the van
broke. We wouldn't have made it anyway. But for the rest of my life
(some still to come I hope) Woodstock has been a touchstone, an
inspiration and the source of fabulous music memories. A part of me
will always be there...even if I didn't physically make it. It
remains a living, breathing part of my generation.... cheers...don
murray...london, canada.
Subj: Guest book
Subj: Long Live The Spirit of Woodstock
Subj: A poem for the 40th ann. of THE SUMMER OF LOVE
Subj: Woodstock
Subj: woodstock
Subj: A WOODSTOCK poem
Subj: 38 yrs ago today!
Subj: Woodstock memories
One...Two..Three..Four... What are we fighting for?.". A voice in
the distance, another group of revelers yelled.... Ya..
Voodstock...Voodstock!! Ya Ya!! They were speaking German, and none
of could speak more than enough to find the bathroom or order a
beer. But there we were singing together in the middle of the
street, in the middle of the night about something that had happened
a year and a half ago. I was toasted but I will remember that time
for all of my life.
Subj: sign my name in your guest book
Subj: I was there.
Hey man,
I was there in 69. we has "ALL AREA" security badges so I was
backstage alot. Also helped out in the trip tent some.
Be cool, Michael
Subject: woodstock memories
Date: 11/23/2007 11:31:25 A.M. Pacific Standard Time
I, of course, being born in 1960, don't have a memory of Woodstock.
I turned 9 years old 2 months after the fact. But, by happenstance,
soon afterward, I have a memory from those turbulent times.
First, a little background. At the time, I was beginning to listen
to rock music, starting with the Beatles and the Jackson 5 and other
pop groups on AM radio. Then I heard Black Sabbath and Deep Purple
and from about the age of 10 or 11 I was a dedicated music fan for
the rest of my life. I have an enormous music collection that began
in 1969. I was also born with the name of a famous rock star,
several years before anyone had heard of him, no relation, but it
influenced my life greatly.
As you already know, 1969 was a fractious time in these United
States, with war, poverty, and racism pulling our nation in many
directions. In December 1969 was the tragic killing at Altamont
Speedway Rock Festival that kind of put a cap on the 60's. With the
anti-war movement growing, a protest the following spring turned
tragic when the National Guard shot and killed 4 unarmed students on
a university campus. I, of course, being 9, was oblivious to most of
this. But, events were about to occur to change all that for me.
In the summer of 1970 my father packed the family into our Ford
station wagon and headed south from where we lived in Connecticut to
the beaches of Virginia and South Carolina for a 2 and a half week
vacation. I was the oldest of 4 kids. There were my two sisters and
my brother, who was the youngest at age 4. It was July 2nd when we
left and my parents wanted to spend 2 days at our nations' capital
first before continuing with our vacation. The next day was spent
visiting the Capital Building, the Lincoln Memorial, Kennedy's Grave
and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery and, being
Irish Catholic, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the
Immaculate Conception. The day after that was July 4th, our nation's
birthday, and a large music festival was going on at the Washington
Monument Mall, which included, if I remember right, Johnny Cash and
Glen Campbell. July 4th, 1970 was also the 2 month anniversary of
the Kent State killings and my father had inadvertently introduced
us all to world politics and into the heart of our national angst.
He wanted to get us into the mall to see the festival, but it was so
crowded and I guess he didn't plan it very well, so he tried to
bring us all in at the back, near the monument. We soon discovered a
large anti-war protest march in this very spot. The marchers were
also trying to get into the festival, but the police had forced them
to this back area and then, I guess, things must have got out of
hand, because tear gas grenades began to explode all around us. I
was fascinated and in shock at the same time. My parents were
freaking out, trying to keep us all together, and escape the ensuing
riot at the same time. They each grabbed us by the shirt collars,
two at a time, and ran back to the parking area. I remember hacking
and coughing with my eyes and nostrils burning, fluid pouring out of
both. My sisters were vomiting and my mother was screaming. To us,
it seemed like the world had gone insane, but it turned out it was
only a storm in a teacup as the festival continued. My father drove
out of there, across the Potomac, to a rest area where we parked to
catch our breath. By then, the sun had set, and we could see the lit
up Washington Monument where a stage light had cast Glen Campbell's
shadow as we listened to a simulcast on the car radio. The only
proof we have is a few short seconds on Super 8 film that my father
took of the protest marchers. Of course, he stopped filming when the
melee began.
I know this isn't a story you wanted to hear, but it's the closest
one I could tell of those times and I felt it had some relevancy.
j lennon
Subject: Hi
Date: 6/15/2008 9:45:08 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Being a musician, my most memorable moments about Woodstock are all
about
Larry
Subject:
Date 7/8/2008 1:54:13 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
WHAT A GREAT SITE. IT’S HARD TO DESCRIBE TO MY CHILDREN WHO ARE IN
EARLY 30’S WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO GROW UP IN THE SIXTIES. JUST THE
MUSIC ALONE. CAN YOU IMAGINE 500,000 TODAY IN MUD. GOD BLESS YOU FOR
KEEPING THE DREAMS AND HOPES ALIVE. I WATCHED AN ANTI-WAR PROTEST IN
WASHINGTON D.C. NO CROWDS AT ALL. LOOK AT THE PROTEST OF THE 60’S,
THEY WERE PROTEST. THANK-YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
RICK. W. KOSTRUB
RIVERSIDE, NJ 08075
Subject: 1969
Date: 7/28/2008 10:41:56 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
I went to woodstock from boston, ma. a 17 year old who hung out in
the boston common. to this day i'll never want to forget the people
and the experience of woodstock. are there any people out there who
hung around boston common and or cambridge common? if so contact me
at
paul_dzine@verizon.net
Subject: Guest Book
Date: 8/3/2008 8:22:45 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
I was listening to XM Radio (we've came a long way since '69) and
heard the great Richie Havens song "Freedom" and I was instantly at
the farm with chills and the hair standing up on my
arms........again. I think the preservation is a great thing and
will hopefully preserve the farm so future generations will know
what our generation stood for, peace, love, and brotherhood. I am 56
now but the spirit's still here. Peace be with you. Dan
Subject: Woodstock '69
Date: 9/27/2008 9:01:48 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Greetings to all! On Sept. 6th 2008, I returned to the site after
39years. I was 17 then (1969), just out of high-school. I attended
the Atlantic City Rock Fest two weeks before Woodstock and thought
that was a big concert! I am proud to have been a part of something
so historical. We knew it would be so, even then. As for the site
now.... the region itself hasn't really changed much. If it wasn't
for the 1969 festival that place wouldn't even be on the map! The
Bethel Country Store looks the same but is now closed. The Bethel
Woods complex is ironically where the "capitalistic" vendors sold
burgers and cokes at the gig originally. Even though the site has
been "tampered" with, it is far better than a Mall or a sub-division
with yuppies living on it! At least it will be there undisturbed for
future generations to see and feel it's ambiance. I plan on being
there next August 15 2009 to make a nuisence of myself in the spirit
of those pschedelic days. We need a renaissance to the days of
free-thought and reasoning. In 1958 Aldous Huxley published Brave
New World Revisited warning us of the future, which is NOW! He was
at Berkeley in the 60's lecturing on implanted micro-chips! When the
C.I.A. put LSD( MKULTRA) on the street little did they know what
would happen. Was it John Lennon who said something like..." they
thought they were going to control our minds, instead they set us
free."..! Other people warning us of the "future" were Arthur
Koestler "The Ghost in the Machine", 1967. Zbigniew Brezezinski
"Between Two Ages" 1970. and Bertrand Russell even earlier in his
book "The Impact of Science on Society" (1952). We are living in
that future time now! We need to get back to the garden in our minds
and take control of our own thoughts. Turn off the boob-tube and hit
the REAL history books! Lets make history again, be the free-willed
warriors we were back then. Woodstock was a big poke in the eye to
that Brave New World. But here we are still fighting the same
Boogie-man "terrorists" and sending our youth off to die in this
same brave new world! "Gimmie an F"! The times they haven't changed
much either. However, never under-estimate the free-will of the
human Spirit, the same power we felt in Max's field those heady days
in 1969! My LOVE to all of you!
Scott A. Munroe
samosam@comcast.net
Subject: Woodstock Memories
Date: 9/21/2008 11:21:59 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
In the summer of 1969 I was working as a programmer, writing COBOL
After hours I wrote music reviews for my hometown newspaper, and
I realized very quickly that I wouldn't be able to see or hear much
of anything, meals
Roy Goodman
Subject: Woodstock memory
Date: 11/15/2008 4:20:19 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
I went with my girlfriend Michelle and another couple Tom & Pam. We
started from our hometown of Oil City Pa., about 5:00am and drove PA
Route 6 across northern PA and through the Wilkes-Barre area to NY
state. I remember driving by a small lake and being unable to find
the festival. We drove around using a map and directions but to no
avail. While driving on a small road in a wooded area we came upon a
guy driving a farm tractor and asked directions. The guy said that
we will “never make it there” but IF you drive ‘here then there and
then this other where and someplace else’ you might be able to get
there. He informed us that the New York Thruway was shut down.
We followed his directions and eventually found ourselves at an
intersection with a road (17) backed up as far as we could see. We
eventually got our car in the stream of vehicles and flowed as the
traffic flowed. It was amazing seeing all that humanity and all
those vehicles. The fields were filling with cars and tents even
miles from Bethel. Our car was eventually filled to the brim with
people. There were people on the roof and even on the hood. It was a
party just traveling on the road. As we got close to Bethel somebody
said that if we turn left at the next cross street, we can get to
the festival site. It was a paved street which eventually became a
dirt road which eventually became a tractor path into a cow pasture.
There was already a couple of cars parked there so we got out locked
up and followed the knowledgeable guy.
He led us across the cow pasture (with cows), along a field stone
fence-wall, across a concrete damn, on a path along a pond, through
a wooded area with dope vendor stands, across an inclined field. As
we crested the field and could see farther …. There was this giant
stage looking at us. WOW!!
It was Friday around noon and we made our way to the area where
people were sitting and set out a blanket as a home base. We then
returned to the car to get the camping gear. Being an old Boy Scout,
I had made sure we came well equipped with tent, food, and more than
enough accessories. We found an approximately 10 foot long piece of
wood and draped the canvas cabin tent over it and hauled as much
gear as possible to the small flat area at the top of the hill just
outside the chain-link fence. There were a couple of tents already
there, we were the third tent at that spot. That area shortly became
a small semi-circle of maybe five or six tents. By nightfall that
whole hillside sweeping to our right and below was covered with
tents and campfires. From that vantage point, tents and fires could
be seen as far as you could see in all directions. It reminded me of
movies with vast ancient armies camped, the movie El Cid comes to
mind.
I had eaten a handful of diet pills during the camp setup; so when
the sound shut down that night; I was not sleepy. So …. I spent a
few hours going all around with a canvas tent peg bag gather stones
for a fire pit. I made a 5 foot diameter fire ring about a foot high
with small stones wedged in between larger stones. It was quite the
thing!! It became the center point of our small tent village.
The next day, as we got to know all the neighbors, I found out that
a guy in the tent to out left was a chef (or so he said). He even
had a set of large camp pots. We pooled our food and had community
meals. We even had electric spaghetti … I think mescaline!!!
We could sit around the fire and look down on the stage. It was such
a choice spot!!! We could even see the stage from inside the tent
through the tent door. I had binoculars so we could see on to the
stage. I bet we were some of the very few that could be as
comfortable as we were and still see what was happening on stage.
When the storm came!!!! Our tent filled with about a dozen people. I
pulled down the door canopy and tied the canvas ties as tight as I
could. It felt as though the wind was going to blow the tent apart
so I grabbed the edge of the tent wall and the door and squeezed
tightly. I pushed my shoulder into the tent wall as hard as I could
and still could not push the canvass out very far. After the storm,
we discovered the tent next door was blown away with about a dozen
people still standing on the tent floor. What a rush that was!!! And
the chain link fence was now a wall of fabric and debris.
Hearing the announcer tell people to do your stuff here and don’t
carry any dope off site, I was believing that the festival was
probably circled by ‘God knows what’. The outside world seemed to be
so far away, so forbidding. So, in the distance, beyond the stage,
up in the sky, I saw helicopters getting larger and larger. As they
flew directly over our tent circle, the tents flapped in their
whirlwind. I was in shock …. Holy Fuck, the army is coming in …. OH
NO!!!! I was thinking that all hell was going to happen. THEN I
heard people yelling “FOOD FOOD FOOD” and a mad rush to the field
behind us was starting as the copters settled close to the ground.
Caught up in the excitement, I ran back to the copters (even though
we had plenty of food). As I got close, the doors were slid open and
bags and boxes of food were being pushed out as a soldier was making
exaggerated motions with his arms for people to stay low. I grabbed
a few oranges and stepped back as that copter started to lift. The
wind blew me onto my ass!! Oh, what a memory. I heard it was West
Point that sent the food. How COOL!!
I have more interesting memories of Woodstock. 1969 and 1989.
1989:
Liz Story was performing at the Chautauqua Amphitheater at the
Chautauqua Institute in western New York the night of a lunar
eclipse. The daylight full moon was clearly visible as I walked from
my car to the gate. During her show, she talked about various things
and her music. She stated that her boy friend had recently proposed
marriage and was still awaiting her answer; and he was in the
audience. She then dedicated the next song to him and accepted his
marriage proposal. It was a stunning performance that night. Upon
exiting the Amphitheater, the moon was now becoming a thin crescent.
I got in my car loaded with camping gear and headed east on the New
York Southern Tier Expressway. As I drove listening to old Woodstock
music, the moon slowly reappeared from behind beautiful fluffy
clouds that drifted by. Almost as though they were playing tag. It
was a very emotional drive as this would be my first return to
Woodstock. When I arrived at the original Festival site about dawn,
there was a hillside covered with tents and wisps of campfire smoke
rising into the morning mists. It was magical!!!! I parked my car,
grabbed my camera and walked about as the Woodstock Festival Village
came to life.
I have many photos of ’89 as I worked as a color darkroom tech at
that time.
Tom Wilkinson
Erie, PA
Subject: Woodstock 1969
Date: 1/12/2009 6:25:01 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
I was born in 1957. In August of 1969 I was living on an Army base
in Brooklyn, New York. (Fort Hamilton) My Dad was a career soldier.
On August 27 my mom decided to take me and my little brother who was
7 at the time along with her two best friends on a "ride " upstate.
We arrived at 11:00 at night and till this day I could not believe
my eyes. Just people everywhere. Now I didn't know much about the
music at that time, I've since learned to love it all. But the
people, that's what really sticks in my mind. Now when I tell my
kids about the concert they laugh and ask me if I tried the acid.
Well at Woodstock I did'nt get the acid but i've tripped a few times
since then. Anyways, stay cool and happy.
Joe
Subject : Sharing a Memory!
Date: 1/16/2009 10:06:58 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Well, I missed it. I was as close as the NYC Port Authority Terminal
where all these strange looking people were getting on buses headed
for “some sort of music festival”. I had just been discharged from
the Army in June of 69, and had been working on the Jersey shore
until I could find some permanent employment. One of those
job-hunting trips took me to New York City on August 14, 1969. Since
I had taken a bus to NYC, I ended up in the Port Authority Bus
Terminal………….and my introduction to what were called hippies. Now,
just getting out of the Army, I didn’t quite know what to make of
all this…………….especially all those pretty girls waiting to board
buses, with nothing more than a bandana tied around their breasts.
At the time, I had no idea what was unfolding…………..and neither did
the world. It wasn’t until three days later that I realized what I
had missed. I could have just jumped on one of those buses heading
toward Bethel………..
Fast forward to the 30th Anniversary of Woodstock in
August of 1999: This was the year that a large anniversary concert
was being planned in Saugerties, NY. Reading about that event did
nothing to excite me, and I (at age 57) was not about to travel from
Pittsburgh, PA to mingle with the Pepsi generation. I was not aware
of it at the time, but apparently some folks were trying to put
together a Reunion Concert on the original site of Yasgur’s farm.
Then, the last thing I heard was that those plans fell through, and
it was cancelled.
Now, here’s where the Spirit of Woodstock transcends human
understanding. About a week before the Anniversary weekend, I told
my wife that I got a wild hair up my butt……………and I’m going to drive
to the original site that weekend…………….just to see if anybody shows
up at the original site to commemorate the event. I set out on my
adventure, not even knowing exactly where I was heading. I had no
idea where the site was located. I wasn’t even sure of the name of
the closest town……….but I set out none-the-less. As I drove across
the state of Pennsylvania, I was thinking…………..even if I find the
original site, I’m going to feel like a damn fool if I’m the only
soul in that natural amphitheatre. But onward I went. As fate would
have it, as I was approaching the northeast corner of Pennsylvania,
I stopped for gas at a country convenience store/gas station. Inside
on the newspaper rack was some sort of local paper with a front page
commemorative article about Woodstock. And as the spirit would have
it, there was a map of the festival site, including the intersection
of 17b & Hurd Road. Now I knew where I was going…………..if there were
only some other people that had the same idea……….
Well, I got to the intersection where you turn right onto Hurd Rd,
and lo and behold…………….a State Police car was parked there…………………and
I thought “:this is a good sign”. Turned into Hurd, then turned left
and up a hill. At the top of the hill, looking down the other side,
I couldn’t believe my eyes, There were tepees, tents, and
people………….hundreds of people (it was only early afternoon on
Friday, so the crowds were yet to come). Drove down to the
intersection past a small stage made up of 2 X 4’s and plastic
tarp……………and heard a female voice singing to the crowd. (Turned out
to be Melanie). Tuned left again & up the hill to pitch my tent
while I could find space to do so, then settled in for three days of
a most wonderful experience………….probably enjoying it more that if I
had been to the original. Without the influence of any drugs or
alcohol, I was able to take it all in and keep it.
As it turned out, the next day (Sat) someone brought in three of
four flatbed trailers and parked them side by side to make an even
larger stage. Then came the sound system with speaker banks on both
sides of the flatbeds. This was another one of those instances
where, “ if we build it, they will come” spiritual journeys……………and
come they did. Friday night after dark, there were endless lines of
automobile headlights backed up over the hills. For a “non-event”,
about 100,000 people came to remember, celebrate, and listen to
music. There were six of seven of the original Woodstock acts that
showed up and played for free………….Arlo Guthrie, Melanie, Richie
Havens, Country Joe McDonald, Mountain, etc Oh yeah, we had our rain
& mud too…………….just like the Heavens “knew” what to do and when to
do it.
That trip will be a lasting memory for me. I was moved beyond words.
I now know the Spirit of Woodstock …………….and it does live !
Subject: woodstock the real '69
Date: 4/7/2009 8:22:46 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
I am from Baltimore Maryland and my boyfriend and girlfiend and
graduated in 68and spent the summer in Hyannis Mass. We hear about a
concert and it was time to leave this rental anyway, so I had all my
possessions w/ me like school ring and yearbook and just my jean, a
head scarf and 2 tops and 1 pr of shoes. So we started to hitch to
Woodstock New York. We met a lot of really nice people along the
way, we were hippies, and some shady people as well. Traveling in
different cars, at one point in time a bunch of people we meet said
“they change the concert to Beth El”, so we diverted our trip
towards Beth El. We arrived 2 days early and had no idea what we
were getting into, which was cool for us. When we got there it was
night time, and their were not a lot of people. Some scattered on
hill tops here and there, small fires going and nice people. The
next morning I remember waking up and seeing a sea of people coming
in from all points of the land...it was a wow...we watched and
partied as the day and night went on seeing more and more very cool,
nice, generous people pile in the vibs were great!!! Everyone had a
smile on their face and everyone shared everything they had
including us!!! Too many great memories...the night Crosby stills
and nash played and we all lite matches and could not believe how
many lights that were lite...and Hendrix waking me up, and I was in
the front row doing his wonderful rendition of the “star spangled”.
Once my boyfriend and I got lost in the wood’s and we did take a
bath in the lake, we just loved the vibs and was inspired that their
were so many people that were just like us from all over the
country!!!It will go down as one of my most favorite experiences...i
was never the same, it freed my soul. I think I’m on the album
cover....i was in music after that and for yrs had a music store,
and it was Woodstock everyday!!! I still say hello to people, like
it’s Woodstock everyday!!! Peace and Love!!!
Aileen Braverman Miller
(410)365.1732
Subject: Memories to last a lifetime
Date: 4/27/2009 10:54:09 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
In the summer of 1969 I was only 19 years old but I had all ready
been married for 3 years. I heard of the concert from a young man
who happen to have worked with my husband at that time. He came by
our home and told us (me and my husband) about planning on going
with a group of people to New York to a Rock Concert. He was trying
to get my husband to take off from work and go with him. I was
fascinated at listening to him speak of New York. I had never been
out of the state of Kentucky until I married and moved to Indiana,
but I loved all the bands he was speaking of that were planning on
attending this concert. We also were friends with another couple who
were in their mid 20's and the wife also expressed her desire to go.
Since our men would be working and it was only going to be a "nice"
concert with "some" bands we convinced them that it would give us
something to do and to consider it our vacation. I really think they
were glad that we were going to be away for several days so they
could go and do whatever it was they wanted to with us gone.
I am now 59 and lately have been remembering and thinking of
Woodstock so very much. Maybe it is because it is approaching the 40
year mark..........or maybe it is because I am now 59 and a widow.
All I know is when I think of all that happened during those 3 days
it is amazing. From the first band to the last (Jimmy Hendrix), from
the tents, sleeping bags, the torrential rain, the mud, running out
of food, to it being
Linda Isaacs
Subject: 1969 Woodstock Festival
Date: 5/2/2009 5:06:42 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Our Health Dept. Office was in Monticello,I was checking out on
Friday afternoon, when Gerry Leiber ,the chief Health Officer of
Sullivan county called me in. Informed me that there was a SMALL
music festival on Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel and would I like to
make some extra money and work the Weekend. I said yes. A state car
picked me up at home and brought me close to the site, as 17B was
jammed bumper to bumper with cars going to Woodstock. As I walked in
I was shocked to see thousands of people.
You have to picture this ,I had a crew cut ,white shirt ,black pants
a clip board and an ID tag identifying me as a representative of
Sullivan County Health Dept. I was in charge of Porta-Sans, Water
and Food Venders. As I walked in I almost levitated as the smoke of
Pot wafted though the air.
My first vender was dressed with a cooks hat, love beads, shoulder
length hair, beard, ear rings ,cowboy boots and a loin cloth. he was
selling grilled hamburgers. I sternly admonished him that he was in
violation of many basic health codes, unsafe food handling ,possible
pubic hairs in the food and that he should stop selling the
hamburgers until he cleans up these violations. A crowd of "Hippies"
began to gather around us, shouting ,"we're hungry man, get lost!"
He said ,"fuck off and stick that clip board up your ass" It became
instantly clear to me that my safety depended on a quick retreat,
mumbling to my self," what am I am doing here?".
I was now joined by another health inspector a young man out of
college carrying bags of Silver Cup bread and bottles of water and
he put them in our small office trailer. I asked him was this for
us, he said "see all those naked girls ,they are going to get hungry
and thirsty!" My sleeping arrangements became chaotic and you can
guess who had a better satisfying experience.
The health and sanitary conditions rapidly deteriorated ,the
Porta-Sans over flowed, water and food were becoming very scarce.
Hippies were squatting by bushes to relieve themselves .The rains
came and human wastes were mixed with the every present mud and a
shallow pond became a communal bath.To quote the Catskill Shoppers
Guide of August 1994 in celebrating the 25th Anniversary of
Woodstock, "...A music festival where the medical caseload numbers
5,162, drug overdoses are 2, drug related abuses total 797,
accidental death 1, 3 miscarriages and a birth"
I did enjoy the great musical acts such as Hendrix, Joplin, Dylan,
Guthrie and many more. I finally got home Monday and my Wife Rita
took a garden hose to clean the caked mud off my cloths.
In retrospect I began to realize what an historic moment that was
.Thousands of young people, with the banner of love, music and peace
protesting the despicable war of the Nixon, Agnew's corrupt
Administration.
I was there!!
Martin J.Cohen
Subj: re Woodstock
Sent: 8/19/2009 3:26:24 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Hi...I was at woodstock with my friend pat...she is american and i
am canadian. omg..what to say...40 years ago...wow! i am so happy
that there is this site and to be able to read about woodstock. it
means so much...i remember the mud, the bad water, the best damn
acid trip i was ever on...green speckled acid from anna arbor
michigan, i remember when we left- jimmy hendrix was playing the
star spangled banner and it seemed to go on for ever....one day
while at the festival we went to town with some friends we finally
met up with that are from canada too and we couldn't believe the
hostility that was thrown at us...none the less.... so many great
memories....i just wish i could have kept in touch with all the
great people i met....at atlantic city music festival and then they
showed up again at woodstock. other than my friend pat..we parted
ways over the years, i have never met anyone else who was there and
it breaks my heart..i get so excited when i talk about it. i would
love to one of these days go back to bethel and see the site....i
can hear the music now!!!it's so great that this site has been
created tho and i look foreward to seeing and reading what i can.
i heard that it was the 40th anniversary and thought my god i was a
kid, so i had to go searching for something on woodstock and this is
how i found you all.
good luck and thanks for letting me ramble on about my memories!
peace! and hugs to you all.
Guyrene Johnson- Vancouver Canada
Subj: Memory of Woodstock 1969
Sent: 8/27/2009 2:17:57 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
My brother and I went to Woodstock for three days and enjoyed the
community of so many people who came together for love and peace and
music. It was glorious. I remember the wonderful sharing of the
music and the food and the good times and the joyous fun. We were
able to prove that you can gather together in large numbers and get
along. All ages, races, religions, political views, stages in life
and travelers on the journey of life. It was. It is. It can be.
John Powell
Pennsylvania
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