The Fantastic Umbrella Factoryby Eva Pasco Author of "Underlying Notes" 
Where have all the Hippies gone? A native Rhode Islander, one of my favorite places to visit along the coast was The
Fantastic Umbrella Factory, a small farm with a cluster of drafty, dilapidated, and musty barns
owned by Hippies. Accessed from worn, torn, two-lane Rte. 1 and situated off of Post
Road in Charlestown, this attraction is definitely "far out, man"...
Those Hippies never offered much in the way of conversation, but most times one was
mesmerized by the pottery they created inside a ramshackled outpost. Further along, the big barn
was always chock full of love beads, vintage clothing from the sixties, greeting cards, signs,
toiletries, and novelty items--though I never recall any umbrellas.
Lush gardens on the wooded property provide sanctuary for wayward
travelers. Exotic emus beckon. The cafe on the premises bustles. Yet, without fail,
I find myself drawn to the abandoned Citroen resting on a laurel of weeds and the rusted carcas
of a gutted pickup nearby.
Alas, the Fantastic Umbrella Factory is no longer so fantastic. The Hippies sold
the place. Though you can still purchase wares of the Sixties, you need Hippies to trip the
lights fantastic as far as I'm concerned. This prompts me to inquire if anyone has sighted any Hippies lately...
Copies of Underlying Notes by Eva Pasco may be purchased here:
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