Celo Community facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Celo Community, Inc.
Communal settlement
Celo Community, Inc. Location in North Carolina
County	Yancey County
State	North Carolina
Country	United States
Established	1937; 88 years ago (1937)
Founded by	Arthur Ernest Morgan
Area
• Total	1.9 sq mi (4.9 km2)

The Celo Community, Incorporated (pronounced SEE-loh) is a special kind of neighborhood. It's located in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina, United States. This unique community is found in the South Toe River valley, within Yancey County.

Celo was started in 1937 by Arthur Ernest Morgan. It works like a land trust, meaning the community owns the land, but families can build and own their homes. Decisions are made together by everyone, using a method called consensus. While Celo welcomes people of all beliefs, many of its members are Quakers. About 40 families live on Celo's 4.9 square kilometers (1,200 acres) of land.

What is the Celo Community's Purpose?

The main goal of the Celo Community is to help its members live a life that includes being themselves, having good friends and neighbors, and taking care of nature. This purpose is written in the community's own rules, called its Constitution.

Goals for a Better Life

In 1959, the community made its goals even clearer. One important goal was to treat everyone with respect, no matter their religion, race, money, or political views. Members are also expected to work at a job that provides a simple but good life. They are encouraged to grow some of their own food and to protect the land, not harm it.

A big goal for Celo is to raise children in a healthy environment. This means a place where kids can learn about nature and feel free to think and learn new things.

The Power of Working Together

Working together has always been a key part of Celo's mission. The founder, Arthur Morgan, used a cool idea called "human uranium" to explain this. He said that even though a small amount of uranium has huge power, it only works when many pieces are brought together. He believed people are the same: when they work together with shared goals, they can achieve great things.

Celo shows this cooperation in many ways. They have a food co-op where members can buy food together. There's also a store where members sell crafts they make. Plus, they have "Cabin Fever University," a fun program for sharing skills, knowledge, and having social events.

How Does the Celo Community Work?

The community uses a land trust system. This means that while families own their houses, the land itself belongs to the community. Land is not sold to members. Instead, it's given to them for a certain time, as long as they live well with the land and their neighbors. Sometimes, the community even lends money to members to help them improve their land. This system helps members start their own projects and businesses.

Jobs and Services

The Celo Community does not provide jobs for its residents. Members find work in different ways. Some work for the community itself, for example, by helping to run Camp Celo. Others start their own small businesses from home. Many members also work outside the community.

In the past, Celo members have helped the wider area. For example, in 1962, Elizabeth and Ernest Morgan, who were Celo members, started the Arthur Morgan School. This is a Quaker boarding school for students in 7th to 9th grades. Doctors living in Celo also used to run a clinic that offered medical care to people from outside the community at low prices.

Becoming a Member

New people can join the Celo Community through a group decision. A vote happens at regular community meetings. To be accepted, a new person needs almost everyone to agree. Only a small number of people (no more than 15%) can disagree. Members can also vote to ask someone to leave the community if needed.

History of the Celo Community

In 1936, a rich businessman from Chicago named William H. Regnery wanted to support a good cause. He asked his friend, Arthur Morgan, for ideas. Morgan suggested starting a special community where people could live and work together. Regnery had different ideas about government and society, but he believed strongly in self-reliant farmers. So, he agreed to help fund the new community. With his help, Celo began!

Morgan, Regnery, and Morgan's son, Griscom Morgan, chose the land for Celo. They also formed a group of leaders, including Morgan, Regnery, and Clarence Pickett, who was a leader of the American Friends Service Committee.

Early Challenges and Growth

In its first few years, Celo had some challenges. Many residents came and went, and it was hard to find new members. The community was still figuring out what it wanted to be. Celo also faced criticism because it did not support World War II.

During World War II, Arthur Morgan visited special camps for people who chose not to fight in the war for moral reasons (called conscientious objectors). He told them about Celo and invited them to move there after the war. Many of these people were interested. After the war ended, several families moved to Celo, and by 1948, the community had a steady population. That same year, Camp Celo, a Quaker summer camp, was started on community land.

In these early years, Celo was mostly made up of Quakers and pacifists (people who believe in peace and oppose war). The community grew steadily, though growth slowed in the 1950s. However, in the 1960s, new movements across the country, like people wanting to live in communities and move back to the land, helped Celo's population grow again.

In 2021, Celo had 79 adult members. The process to join is slow, and there's often a waiting list of families hoping to be accepted. Some families who can't get into Celo right away have started settling in areas just outside the community.

Celo's Climate

Celo has a mild climate, similar to parts of Europe, known as an oceanic climate. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Celo was 36 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit) in June 1952. The coldest temperature recorded was -27 degrees Celsius (-16 degrees Fahrenheit) in January 1985.