
An estate in Upstate NY where the psychedelic 60s took off - zhuangzi
https://timeline.com/drug-mansion-psychedelic-60s-5116867d5041
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QAPereo
This kind of thing always seems a lot more magical in hindsight, but then, I
wasn't there, and maybe it really was amazing. Most of the time though, when
people get heavily into a drugs or drugs for a while, it tends to get a bit
squalid. I'm not talking about a shooting gallery or a crack den or anything,
but when you're not really "here" most of the time, "worldly" concerns seem to
slip by the wayside.

Maybe Billy had enough money and servants that it just didn't matter though.

~~~
koverstreet
You sure? Do you actually have experience with such matters?

Try hitting up some music festivals for counterexamples.

~~~
joejerryronnie
QApereo is absolutely correct. Partying for a week or two at a music festival
is completely different than living in/around a house of semi-functioning
hardcore drug users for months on end. Primarily because the music festival
ends before the fun and crazy atmosphere devolves into a dull blanket of
paranoid self loathing.

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pmoriarty
To anyone interested in this era and the role psychedelics played in it, I'd
highly recommend a book called _Acid Dreams_.[1]

The writings of many of the personages mentioned in this article are also well
worth reading: Richard Alpert (aka Ram Das), Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner.
Also, not mentioned but on the same wavelength: Robert Anton Wilson, John
Lilly, and Terrence McKenna.

[1] - [https://www.amazon.com/Acid-Dreams-Complete-History-
Sixties/...](https://www.amazon.com/Acid-Dreams-Complete-History-
Sixties/dp/0802130623/)

~~~
bogomipz
The book is mentioned and quoted in the article.

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Animats
It's mentioned in Gordon Liddy's autobiography. He raided the place.

~~~
yathern
Also mentioned in the article :)

> when the newly-appointed assistant district attorney G. Gordon Liddy — yes,
> that G. Gordon Liddy — led a nighttime raid on the Millbrook estate,

~~~
pmoriarty
It's ironic that Leary and Liddy would later wind up touring the lecture
circuit together.[1]

There's a video of them debating here: [2] starting at the 15 minute mark,
with Leary giving his version of Liddy's raid on Millbrook.

[1] -
[http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=199...](http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19911114&slug=1317235)

[2] -
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5Abx4Vi-68](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5Abx4Vi-68)

~~~
bogomipz
It's not ironic at all - two men profiting on their notoriety, long after
their 15 minutes of fame were up. This is not meant as a slight on Leary, just
an observation.

Irony I think would be that Liddy ended up at the same correctional facility
as Leary. [1]

It's worth noting that both were convicted felons which severely limits your
work prospects in the US, so speaking engagements made good sense for both.

[https://www.nypl.org/blog/2012/08/15/transmissions-
timothy-l...](https://www.nypl.org/blog/2012/08/15/transmissions-timothy-
leary-papers-buddy-film-starring-leary-and-liddy)

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thekevan
That's not upstate, it's the Hudson Valley.

~~~
dabber
It's pretty common for people living in NYC to refer to anything north of the
city as "up state". I'm not sure exactly where that boundary starts but I'd
imagine it's somewhere near the first grouping of 3 or more trees.

It's so common in fact that I'd be willing to bet the author lives or lived in
NYC and you have some relationship with "up state". :)

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kevin_thibedeau
That's a good candidate for McMansion hell.

