Slab City?The last free place?.

Place from the corners of my mind. I first time I heard about it from the story of Christopher Johnson McCandless ?Into the Wild? around 2007. Years go forward and I forgot about it but the picture stuck somewhere in my head. 2013 I saw friend's video who was skateboarding and something colorful and familiar was on the background thought that is was cool and forgot about it again. I started to travel a lot United States since 2017 and only at 2019 when I was packing my bags before flight to CA I remembered painted mountain I saw before. I had no idea how this place was called and how exactly it looked like so it took me a lot time to google it.

Slab City, also called The Slabs, is a community in the Sonoran Desert located in Imperial County, California. It took its name from concrete slabs that remained from the abandoned World War II Marine Corps barracks of Camp Dunlap. If we go back in history prior to the United States' official entry into World War II, the United States Marine Corps made the decision to site a training ground for field and anti-aircraft artillery units in an area accessible by aircraft taking off from carriers near San Diego. To create the training base, 631.345 acres (255.496 ha) were obtained. The government announced that the base was to be named after Brigadier General Robert Henry Dunlap, U.S.M.C. After construction of Camp Dunlap was completed, it was commissioned on October 15, of 1942. The camp had fully functioning buildings, water, roads, and sewage collections. The base was used for three years during the war. By 1949, military operations at Camp Dunlap had been greatly reduced, but a skeleton crew continued on until the base was dismantled. By 1956, all buildings had been dismantled, but the slabs remained.

Slab City is like a 1960s commune that was transnational and non-class, made up of actors, musicians, artists, political opponents: a hippie park of dilapidated multi-colored buses, burning trash cans that provide light at night. Slab City has individual neighborhoods within its limits. Each neighborhood consists of a small camp of people with their own particular rules and culture.

Initially, people who live here permanently came driven by poverty, they had nothing, but everything that appeared here, everything belongs to them. Also in wintertime several thousand campers, many of them retired, use the site during the winter months. The "snowbirds" stay only for the winter before migrating north in spring to cooler climates. As it called ?The last free place? Slab City is not the only commune based in the middle of nowhere. But definitely stands out more than the rest of the locals' love of art. Not many of us think about ?the price of freedom? with bigger population and less control there are more problems as burglary, crime, an influx of trash, drug abuse (especially crystal meth).

The site is both decommissioned and uncontrolled, and there is no charge for parking. It has no official electricity, running water, sewers, toilets or trash pickup service. Many residents use generators or solar panels to generate electricity.

The closest civilization with proper law enforcement is approximately four miles (6.4 km) southwest of Slab City in Niland where the residents often go to do basic shopping. As a result, Slabs is described by its inhabitants and news outlets like Vice News as a miniature de facto enclave of anarchy. 

This place of freedom have incredible atmosphere, I didn’t met many people there but was really impressed by art and finally saw the place that stuck deep in my mind.

Salvation Mountain!

It was a place that caught my eye in 2007 and finally I made it there! It’s a hillside visionary environment created by local resident Leonard Knight. The artwork is made of bricks, discarded tires and windows, automobile parts and thousands of gallons of paint.

It encompasses numerous murals and areas painted with Christian sayings and Bible verses, though its philosophy was built around the Sinner's Prayer. Sad that I come too late and had no chance to meet with artist. Leonard Knight died in 2014 at age 83.

Also Slab City area contains more interesting places as ?East Jesus? and ? The Range?.

East Jesus is an experimental, sustainable and habitable art installation made from discarded material that has been reused, recycled or repurposed, East Jesus encourages visitors to imagine a world without waste, in which every action is opportunity for self-expression.

There is no religious connotation in the name East Jesus – it is a colloquialism for a place in the middle of nowhere beyond the edge of service availability; the off-grid facility operates with no municipal utilities. Assemblage and mixed-media art cover nearly every inch of it, interior and exterior. Sculptures and installations are constantly in development throughout area, and the musical performance space holds a public address system, a stage lighting system, and a studio grand piano.

There is also a solar power system with a battery bank made up of expired batteries disposed by telecom companies. Photography, multimedia art, performance art, writing and music are integral parts of a larger fabric, which their artists collectively are continually weaving. East Jesus artwork is living, growing and ever-changing, and embraces the thousands of varied voices from contributing artists who have added to the installation. Each day, residents give free tours, and hosts visiting artists and overnight guests.

The Range is an open-air nightclub complete with stage, lights, amplifiers, and speakers, with tattered couches and old chairs for seating. Every Saturday night at around dusk, locals and visitors meet for a talent show that features permanent resident musicians and anyone else who wants to get up on stage and perform.

Traveling always a big pleasure. I’ve been to many places around the world seeing contrasts of life. I’m sure I will come back to Slab City again someday. It feels very unique and keeps many stories that untold.