Home, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Home
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Unincorporated community (CDP)
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The Home Welcome Sign
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 Home
Location in Washington (state)
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Pierce |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 1,377 |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
98349
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| Area code(s) | 253 |
Home is a small community in Pierce County, Washington, United States. It is called a census-designated place, which means it's an area identified by the government for collecting population data. In 2010, about 1,377 people lived there. Home is located on the Key Peninsula, right next to the waters of Carr Inlet, which is part of Puget Sound. Today, Home is mostly known for its beach houses. However, around the year 1900, it was a unique place where people tried to create a perfect community based on anarchist ideas.
Contents
History of Home
Starting the Home Colony
After a previous community failed, three friends — George H. Allen, Oliver A. Verity, and B. F. O'Dell — decided to start a new one. In the summer of 1895, they built a rowboat and explored Puget Sound to find a quiet, isolated spot.
They chose Von Geldern Cove (also known as Joe's Bay) for their new "Home Colony." This community was meant to be an intentional community, where people lived together based on shared ideas. Their ideas were rooted in anarchism, a belief that people can live peacefully without a strict government. The founders bought 26 acres of land for $7 an acre, earning money by doing various jobs. By 1896, their families joined them, and they built cabins.
Life in the Colony
In 1898, the community formed a group called the Mutual Home Association. Their goal was to help members get homes and create better social conditions. People who joined the Association and agreed with its anarchist ideas could get a piece of land. The Association initially kept ownership of the land, but this rule changed in 1909. The Association also owned a meeting hall, called Liberty Hall, and a trading post.
By 1901, Home had grown to 217 acres. It attracted people with different ideas, including anarchists, communists (people who believed in sharing all resources), people with unusual diets, and freethinkers (people who thought for themselves). Famous speakers like Elbert Hubbard, anarchist Emma Goldman, and communist leader William Z. Foster visited Home to give talks.
Challenges and Changes
In 1901, after an event involving a political leader, the community of Home faced a lot of attention from outsiders, especially newspapers in nearby Tacoma. Some articles were very critical, leading to threats from a group called the Loyal League. This group planned to attack the colony by steamboat. Luckily, the steamboat owner refused to take them, and the attack was stopped.
In 1902, the local newspaper, Discontent: Mother of Progress, published an article that caused controversy. Because of this, postal inspectors closed Home's post office. It was then moved two miles (3 km) away to the smaller town of Lakebay. A resident named Lois Waisbrooker was involved in the events that led to the post office closing.
By 1919, the Mutual Home Association was officially ended. With that, the unique anarchist community of Home also came to an end.
See also
In Spanish: Home (Washington) para niños
