Random Things That Slab City Is An Off-Grid Desert City (12 items)

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  (#1) It Is Known As "The Last Free Place In America"

  Slab City is called "the last free place in America," and the town's motto refers to more than just the zero cost of living there. It relates to the easy-going, more-than-relaxed rules of living too.

  The slogan for Slab City came from a man named Builder Bill and the late Mike Bright. Builder Bill moved to Slab City after losing his job in construction. His nickname follows him, as he is responsible for the creation of a music stage, which functions to entertain residents of Slab City, as they sprawl out on beat-up couches to enjoy nightly talent shows. 
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  (#2) Residents Rely On Each Other To Cope With The Effects Of The Coronavirus

  During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States, lockdowns were enforced by federal, state, and local governments. The "last free place in America" has suffered economically along with other parts of the state and country, because Slab City's income mainly comes from tourists, who have been ordered to stay at home. In addition to the financial struggle, hygiene looks different in the desert, where there is no running water, sewage, or trash pickup, and the nearest hospital is a 40-minute drive away. Not to mention, people who move to Slab City often harbor a distrust of authority, and are less inclined to follow social distancing orders. 

  By May 2020, 55 of 417 residents tested for the coronavirus were confirmed positive. Indie Jones, who lives in the neighborhood Flamingo Camp, told the Desert Sun that not everyone is taking the pandemic seriously: "I don't know how many people have come by looking for a service we provide - whether that be water or a meal like we used to do. I have to tell them no... Everyone's on an 'It won't affect me' basis and it's stressful." 

  The Board of Directors closed Slab City's artistic attraction Salvation Mountain, and because the community relies on donations to maintain and create art, residents have faced cuts, although they are managing to adapt. "Rather than being able to drink 5 gallons a day, and freakin’ do dishes and laundry, now we do laundry once a week and ration out 2 gallons a day," said resident Kurt Forsberg.

  The tightknit community members of Slab City are used to supporting one another, but isolation makes that difficult, forcing major lifestyle changes for many, and a reluctance to social distance for others. 
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  (#3) Slab City May Not Remain A Free City

  California is seeking to sell Slab City. A sale could potentially go to energy companies - possibly the only industry that could make the inhospitable and dry land useful. Many residents worry that a deal could leave them without a community or place to live, as the lawless Slab City has become the last resort for so many.

  Due to the threat of a sale, some residents of Slab City call for people to band together and purchase the land themselves in order to guarantee the community's survival. However, others worry that even if residents of Slab City buy the land, it will result in a landlord-like situation, which residents agree is contrary to what Slab City is all about.

  With the threat of government encroachment, the concept of a Slab City resident-run community seems to be the only solution. Some residents acknowledge that the land is useless and that California might sell the city for $1 an acre. Still, most of the residents rely on social security or government assistance, so it's impossible to band together to raise funds to purchase Slab City. Moreover, with such a mixture of different people living in the location, there are hostile feelings among residents regarding a purchase. Still, some of the most lawless residents do not even vocalize opinions on the matter, and it's likely that they wouldn't change their habits regardless.
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  (#4) Slab City Used To Be A Military Base And Now Is Completely Lawless

  The perma-Burning Man city was once a US Marine Camp. However, the abandoned land, which is about 140 miles east of San Diego, is now a haven for lawlessness. No one pays rent. No one enforces rules.

  In fact, laws do not exist in Slab City. It's a place for people who are down on their luck, who want to escape society, and anyone in between.
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  (#5) Despite What Slabbers Claim, Police Do Have Jurisdiction In The Last Free Place

  While it gets described as the "last free place in America," and a lawless land, that's not entirely accurate. The Imperial County Sheriff's Department and the Niland Fire Department provide services to Slab City, while they receive nothing in return such as taxes.

  For example, in 2016, Slab City resident Clayton Vincent Jones murdered a woman. The police were able to arrest Jones before he could escape Slab City because another slabber, named Vango, called the police. Vango witnessed the murder. After his arrest, police transported Jones to the Imperial County Jail.
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  (#6) Some Visitors Describe Getting Hunted By Slabbers

  While police maintain jurisdiction Slab City, the remoteness of the location means that a lot of trouble could transpire before police can intervene. Stories exist about travelers visiting Slab City only to get hunted like animals. For instance, one Redditor captured his alleged experience when he visited Slab City in a post. He claims that unlike some other stories, Slab City was not welcoming. He stood out immediately, and he was even hunted by some of the residents of Slab City.

  The Redditor describes how he allegedly escaped death, all because people in Slab City wanted to rob him. He describes running from them before eventually encountering police, who while suspicious of his sobriety and motives, offered him protection until morning.
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  (#7) It Is An Actual Garbage Wasteland

  As Builder Bill put it, Slab City is a place where you go when you have to get out of dodge. The city is without rent, without zoning laws, and without judgment according to the man who helped coin the term "the last free place in America." But Slab City does come with a price.

  California allows people to reside there in exchange for the lack of any state services. For instance, Slab City is without garbage pickup, and the entire city is littered with sunburned trash.
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  (#8) Slab City Has Its Own Prom

  Every year, Slab City has a prom. The venue is always the same - a stage built by Builder Bill. An organized dance may not seem like something to come out of a town of self-proclaimed misfits, but it is one of the most celebrated events of the city. It's also an end to winter celebration for the snowbirds who leave Slab City around this time.

  Since the people of Slab City more or less live outside, and in harsh conditions, it's a "tongue-in-cheek" event where they get to dress up and party together. For the most part, it's the one time of the year that slabbers put their differences aside. Almost like high school.
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  (#9) Some Live Here Because They Cannot Afford To Live "On The Grid"

  Many residents of Slab City ended up there after lousy fortune. For those who would rather live "on the grid" but couldn't afford to do so, adjusting to life in Slab City is difficult.

  The only shower in Slab City is a single hole in the ground. There is no running water or electrical grid in Slab City. There are even children who live in Slab City and go to school in neighboring communities.
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  (#10) Slab City Is Just Steps Away From Tourist Attraction Salvation Mountain

  Just steps away from the entrance to Slab City is Salvation Mountain, an artistic tourist site where everything is covered in paint. While most Instagram-seeking tourists understand that Slab City is a refuge for people who do not want to be bothered or found, tourists still drive through it anyhow.

  While there have been reports of tourists getting assaulted or robbed by Slab City residents, the area is still open to visitors and signs encourage tourists to visit the adjoining art installation East Jesus.
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  (#11) It Is A City Of Harsh Conditions That Requires Self-Reliance

  During summer, Slab City temperatures could reach 120 degrees. Without electricity, some residents rely on solar panels for power. Some even use insulation to build cooler rooms inside of RVs during summer.

  Slab City is an area of self-reliance.When a person decides to live in Slab City, they learn the unwritten customs on their own, and their survival in the desolate place is up to them.
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  (#12) Slabbers Fight For Freedom

  Slabbers, as they call themselves, have developed something of a community for as much as they resist. They identify almost everything in the town. The new-age hobos who visit Slab City are referred to as "train kids."

  Slab City seems to attract every personality type, from nomads to desperate parents scraping by to care for their families. And that's the reason many residents fight to keep "the last free place in America," free.

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