Gay hippie

Folks, I presume, everywhere are aware of Austin's nude beach. And that there's a day when all the gay people gather there, dubbed "Splash Day," I believe.

Hello. My name is Dennis Paddie. I was born in a small Arkansas village named Sardis.

I relocated to Austin in 1965 to prepare for the Peace Corps. During my late '60s residency here, I became part of Texas's first, and perhaps the South's first, gay hippie commune. We rather spontaneously established ourselves there. Most of the people were close acquaintances from UT, but the house boasted water and gas, sadly lacking in electricity, which meant no air conditioning. It proved a scorching summer, and mosquitoes were a persistent nuisance. In common with the rest of the hippie community, we frequented the lake at nightfall for swimming, cooling off, and afterward returning for sleep.

This practice of being naked in nature was significant. It transitioned naturally into daytime activities. The whole local hippie scene, if you will, started visiting the lake. We knew our open-air nudity was pushing the boundaries, but we went ahead anyway. It must have been a sweltering Sunday afternoon in 1969. Approximately fifty or more hippies were gathered on the... If you've visited Lake Travis, you know its series of ledges; it was packed. Moving around two of the points to that spot they called the nude beach, there was a large group of individuals. Reports were circulating around town about community concern over our bare-bodied presence...

We were apprehensive, but nonetheless went ahead. We were just youngsters, after all. And then, there came the uniformed, armed deputies, clad in tight trousers and shirts, obviously displeased with our presence and intent on apprehending us. I was unclothed, yet a kind soul flung a pair of cutoff blue jeans my way; I promptly donned them. That afternoon, forty or fifty individuals were arrested, but I was spared.

Then, a sheriff change occurred. Another individual, Raymond Frank, was chosen in an election. Frank faced pressure from Baptist groups to address the issue of naked hippies at Windy Point on Lake Travis. He famously stated in the newspaper, "I've got more pressing issues than hunting down a group of naked hippies around Lake Travis." This remark marked the beginning of Hippie Hollow. The name stuck, and a portion of Hippie Hollow became associated with the gay community. It wasn't officially designated, but it was a de facto gay area, I believe, attracting people interested in that freedom.

People, I surmise, worldwide are aware of Austin's nude beach. And that there's a day when all the gay people congregate there, often referred to as "Splash Day," I suspect. Austin now draws people from all over the world, and a significant part of their interest is linked to Hippie Hollow. Whether they'll find any naked hippies there now, is debatable. But back in the day, discovering a naked hippie was a common sight, since we gay hippies were everywhere.

That part of Austin's lore holds great significance for me. Any locale with such a story warrants a visit. If you are in Austin during the winter, you absolutely must venture there, as it is a lovely place. I think understanding its historical context enhances its appeal. A humorous tale, no doubt. The tradition of nudity in nature is a vital aspect of Austin's history.