The Secrets of Bohemian Grove

What do Richard Nixon, Herbert Hoover, Art Linkletter, and Jack London all have in common? One thing, membership in the incredibly exclusive, all-male Bohemian Club located at Bohemian Grove in Northern California. Every summer, Bohemian Grove floods with the country's most powerful and important members for two weeks engaging in what they call, “fun and games”. These 2,700 acres of Redwood Forest located just 80 miles North of San Francisco host more than 2,000 of our country's elite each year to relax and get away from the public eye.

Lying desolately within the forest, hidden beneath the forest canopy, Bohemian Grove stretches along the Russian river of southern Sonoma County. For over a century our nation's richest and brightest have been meeting here. The club is divided into dozens of small camps, the most prominent called Mandalay. Just a few of the businessmen and politicians included in the Mandalay camp are Leonard Firestone, Edgar Kaiser, Gerald Ford, Henry Kissinger, William French Smith, and George Schultz. President Ronald Reagan, Vice President George Bush, and Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger are also members, but in different camps. Richard Nixon is a member, as well as the CEOs of multi-million dollar corporations such as Eastern Airlines, Amoco Oil (Standard Oil of Indiana), and Bank of America. According to employees of the Grove, most members of the exclusive club are above the age of 50, economically successful, and politically Conservative. Members are determined by personal invite only, and your chances are very slim if you are not rich, famous, or have the right connections. 

Bohemian Grove is as secretive as it is exclusive. Pictures and video are forbidden, and members are not permitted to discuss or write about the happenings within their boundaries. This is especially true for the press, who are distinctly excluded and forbidden. Though possible to take a boat up the Russian River and catch a glimpse of the Northern edge of the property, police are quick to escort unwanted visitors off of the premises before allowing any sort of investigations. 

Still there are those willing to research Bohemian Grove. Sociology professor William Domhoff found enough information to write a book.

Alongside the Cremation of Care ceremony, there are two plays performed each year. One entails high production values with elaborate costumes, a detailed set, and music, while old pictures of members dressed in drag suggest the other boasts humor. Other forms of entertainment include swimming, hiking, sunbathing, and enjoying Bohemian Grove’s privately labeled spirits.

Like most boys’ summer camps, there is a symbol. In Bohemian Grove, a giant owl rests in it’s epicenter, serving as a symbol for the camp, while a statue stands for Saint John of Nepomuk, a 13th century Bohemian king idolized for his respect of honor.

Wives and women in general are forbidden from the club, even as employees. As much fun as these two weeks may be, the men still tend to business. Bohemian Grove is the site where nuclear power was first discussed, as well as the origin of the Manhattan Project in the 1930s. In 1967, the Grove hosted Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon where they settled their presidential ambitions before the 1968 election. Each year speakers such as Henry Kissinger or Zbigniew Brzezinski are invited to discuss their expertise with the club.

This year presidential counselor Edwin Meese is amongst the guest speakers. He is one among many that come as guests of current members. Another joining in the festivities this year is current CIA Director William Casey, who joins former Director John McCohn as a confirmed guest. Major League Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn will be attending alongside Los Angeles Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley.

            Despite the economic clout held by the members of the Grove, it is not without its drama. Nuclear weapons protestors still gather outside the Bohemian Grove property waving signs and chanting slogans. The Grove also faces a suit by the state of California due to its policy of not hiring women.

            Still, Bohemian Grove faces no imminent danger. Herbert Hoover once called the Bohemian Club, “the world’s greatest men’s party,” and the list of men awaiting invitation continues to grow.

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