ABSTRACT

Communal societies have been a unique part of the American rural experience since the 1680s. Although communalism would seem counter to the myth of American individualism, it is part and parcel of social commitment that also characterizes much of American history, particularly in rural communities where mutual support was key to survival and success. The creation of these communities is also indicative of American openness towards social and economic innovation. 1 While contemporary communal efforts, such as co-housing, flourish in urban milieus, the primary canvas for the American communal experience has been in isolated rural communities, often at the edge of a vanishing hinterland.