Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Margaret Hill papers , circa 1981-1987
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Hill, Margaret, 1921-2016
- Title
- Margaret Hill papers
- Dates
- circa 1981-1987 (inclusive)19811987
- Quantity
- 9.75 linear feet, (10 containers)
- Collection Number
- Coll 425
- Summary
- Margaret Hill was mayor of Antelope, Oregon until she was voted out of office and the city government was taken over by the Rajneesh sect. She was one of the first to sound the alarm about the undemocratic methods of the cult and generated a nationwide expression of sympathy for the plight of Antelope.
- Repository
-
University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives
UO Libraries--SCUA
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene OR
97403-1299
Telephone: 5413463068
spcarref@uoregon.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open to the public. Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. Collection or parts of collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives in advance of your visit to allow for transportation time.
- Additional Reference Guides
-
See the Current Collection Guide for detailed description and requesting options.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Margaret Hill (1921-2016) was mayor of Antelope, Oregon until she was voted out of office and the city government was taken over by the Rajneesh sect. She was one of the first to sound the alarm about the undemocratic methods of the cult and generated a nationwide expression of sympathy for the plight of Antelope.
Between 1981 and 1985, the followers of the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh built a substantial utopia on Easter Oregon. At its peak it housed between 2,000 and 3,000 residents along with a number of visitors and students. Their efforts to achieve independence by controlling local government units such as the town of Antelope and Wasco County often by undemocratic and illegal methods caused the community to be viewed negatively by Oregon residents. By 1985 legal action by the State, pressure by environmental groups, negative publicity and deportation of the Bhagwan by the U.S. Government brought an end to the experiment.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of correspondence with state officials and organizations generating opposition to the Rajneesh, planning and zoning documents of county governments and of Rajneeshpuram, and quantities of correspondence expressing sympathy towards the town of Antelope.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Description |
|---|
| Guide to the Margaret Hill Papers |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Anti-cult movements--Oregon--Antelope
- Rajneeshees--Oregon--Rajneeshpuram
- Religion and state--Oregon--Rajneeshpuram
- Religious communities--Oregon--Rajneeshpuram
Personal Names
- Osho, 1931-1990
Geographical Names
- Antelope (Or.)--Religion
- Rajneeshpuram (Or.)
Form or Genre Terms
- Clippings
- Correspondence
