Tom McCall at Vortex I

(An excerpt from my book, The Far Out Story of Vortex I)

September 2, 1970. Vortex I wasn’t officially over until tomorrow, but almost all of the revelers were gone.

A hippie cleanup crew coordinating out of a tepee called Rainbow remained behind. They were assisting Frank Styles heal the grounds in hope that McIver Park would be ready for the upcoming Labor Day weekend. After breakfast, work proceeded until a rumor surfaced: the Oregon National Guard was set to move in and confront any freaks still left in the park.

Word spread that Governor McCall was in the park. He had landed by helicopter. This was an unscheduled appearance, at least to the hippies. Curious, several of them decided to hike to the upper level to meet him.

As the hippies walked to the helicopter, McCall conferred with Styles. The governor insisted the park be put right and suggested that, “All it needs is some grass seed and fertilizer,” horticulture advice that later one of his aides joked in a handwritten memo should be changed to “Acapulco Gold.”

Styles told McCall he would plant Oregon fescue and assured the park would be restored in no time. Styles also mentioned how hard and how well the hippies had worked in collaboration with parks’ employees. With this last comment, Styles returned to work.

The hippies arrived and there the 6’5” McCall stood, wearing a dark sport coat, dark slacks, dark turtleneck, dark loafers and dark glasses.

McCall had wanted to attend the festival earlier at its peak, but Ed Westerdahl and Ron Schmidt vetoed that idea. Still, the governor felt compelled to visit because, as he later wrote, “…if my administration was going to be voted out…I wanted to be a witness to the scene that was responsible.”

One might have expected a big media showcase. But there were no reporters, film crews or photographers. Accompanied only by a state police officer, McCall walked over when he saw the long hairs approaching. They hugged.

McCall thanked them for their effort and assured the National Guard would not accost or harm them in any way. He gave his word. Then Oregon’s Republican governor and the hippies joined hands and formed a circle. They chanted “oms” for a few minutes, recited the Lord’s Prayer, and concluded with several other literary verses, including one by William Blake.

One of the hippies said, “Governor, I’d like to stay in touch.”

“I’ll do that,” McCall said.

Postscript from 2020: I later learned that the Eagle Feather Ceremony was also performed in the circle. I interviewed a man named Reggie DeSoto who was there and did the performing.

Incredible. Was this not the most astonishing moment in modern Oregon history? Could you imagine Governor Kate Brown or any state politician from either party coming around a circle like that after putting everything on the line with a state-sponsored rock festival for peace?

No. And we need something of that spirit today.