The site of Druid Heights was an old chicken ranch that was purchased in 1953 by Elsa Gidlow and Roger Somers, two bohemians who were looking for a quiet place to escape from the stifling conformity of America in the 1950s. They were soon joined by others seeking to build an alternative community, and Druid Heights evolved into a commune of creativity, new ideas, and an eclectic style of architecture that is unique in the world. It became a cultural center and party hangout for many of the Beat poets and writers, a sylvan offshoot of San Francisco's North Beach. Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and Gary Snyder were among the many luminaries who passed through here, and as the Beat generation gave way to the hippies of the 1960s, Druid Heights grew into a full fledged community. It also came to reflect the problems of the turbulent 1960s, with a once spiritual ideal devolving into rampant drug abuse, conflict among residents, and socal deterioration.

One prominent resident of Druid Heights was Alan Watts, a British philospher who is often credited with bringing Zen Buddhism to America. Watts spent much of his time on the Vallejo houseboat in Sausalito, but lived for several years at Druid Heights. The building that housed his library is still there, one of the most interesting examples of the unique architecture that characterized the commune. The library is a round building, with a large skylight in the top and curvilinear walls built out of rough-hewn redwood that are lined with bookcases. The bookcases are empty now and the building is on the verge of collapse, a small relic of the not so distant past.

The craftsmanship of the buildings is remarkable, although they seem like ancient ruins now. Modified Japanese gabled roofs are combined with natural effects, such as an oak tree growing up through the center of a building. A round Moon window has carved and polished wooden shelves that evoke the image of floating clouds. Stained glass windows and hand carved wooden roof shingles adorn the buildings. Shapes meld into the forest and the natural environment surrounding the commune. Once lush gardens, now dry and decaying, suggest a time of great vibrancy and life at this place. It is hard to imagine what will happen to Druid Heights when the last remaining residents are gone. It could disappear altogether, disintegrating into the forest, or become a monument to the hope and idealism of a social movement that has now faded like Druid Heights itself.