Comments on: Vortex 1 (2010)

By: Sheryl

Sheryl — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:04:02 +0000

How can I get a copy of the Vortex movie? I live in Alabama now. Was there for the whole scene in 1970 and would love to see it. Is the book available for less than $100?

By: DavesNotHere

DavesNotHere — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 07:38:24 +0000

Greetings fellow Vortex I survivor! I obtained a copy of Matt’s book awhile back and WoW, what a series of flashbacks that produced! Haven’t seen myself in any photos or videos YET, but we were there for the whole week. I’d just graduated high school that year and what a summer 1970 was! Our adventure really started at Delta Park. We were one of the first group of people camped there. Howdy to Dick Bogle (?) with channel 2 who came out and partied with us. And who remembers the great buzz that was had in the big tee-pees? I remember the big campfire in the middle and passing around all sorts of drinkable and smoke-able what have you, and everyone coming together in a loud OOOOOOOHHHMMM!!! Ha ha, you had to love the NO SELLING OF DRUGS rule that was enforced in our little neighborhood in the park! After Vortex my buddy and I hitched a ride to the Sky River Festival over by Washougal, WA. We closed that one down too before finally heading home to California. Oh, and Tom L with the bug-eye Sprite we crashed near Portland… if you’re out there… it would be great to hear from ya!!!

By: Anne Richardson

Anne Richardson — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 02:01:45 +0000

So pleased to meet you, Mr. Meacham! Thank you for bringing your Super 8 camera to Vortex.

Are you related to Alfred B. Meacham (1826 -1882)?

By: Mike Meacham

Mike Meacham — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 00:38:01 +0000

My name is Mike and I shot the film in the clip posted above. I’m flattered you used it in your article, here.

I edited the film into a movie that was shown to my family and friends at parties and then put into a box. Where it sat for 35 years until Matt Love wrote a book on the event. There was a lot of interest in the film at that time so I digitized it, added some music and production values and put it on DVD. I did not change any part of the original edit I did back in 1970. Both Terry Musgrove and Eric Cane used much of it in their respective documentories. Terry interviewed me on camera and I appear in that version both as a young 19 year old who attended Vortex and brought a super-8 movie camera and a 55 year old grandpa.

Aging hippies are always interested in Vortex but the history surrounding that event from the FBI, Tom McCall, State and local Police and the event itself is a fascinating story and part of Oregon’s history.