Member-only story
The Youngest Manson Family Member
the story of Dianne ‘Snake’ Lake
In December of 1967, Charles Manson was traveling around the southwestern United States with five women (Mary Brunner, who was pregnant, Lynette ‘Squeaky’ Fromme, Patricia Krenwinkel, Susan Atkins and Ella Jo Bailey) in an old school bus, painted black. During their travels, the sextet visited Hog Farm, the most famous commune of its time. Founded by ‘Wavy Gravy’ (true name Hugh Romney), a peace activist from New York, Hog Farm sat on the grounds of a pig farm in Tujunga, north of Burbank. The commune was created in the mid-Sixties when the Merry Pranksters (friends of writer Ken Kesey, aficionados of the acid lifestyle) got stranded near L.A.
Wavy Gravy supplemented the commune’s coffers by working as a character actor. By 1966, they were hosting open concerts at the Farm, featuring Jimi Hendrix and the Grateful Dead. In August 1969, the Hog Farm prepared all meals at the Woodstock Festival.
Initially, the communers totally dug Charlie Manson.
“A lot of the Hog Farmers were very enamored of his smile. He could mesmerize you.” — Hugh Romney aka Wavy Gravy from the documentary “Charles Manson: The Man Who Killed the 60s” ©1995 TLC (The Learning Channel)
But before long, they got a taste of Manson’s sinister underbelly. He pissed off Wavy Gravy, who then…
