Log cabins at Equality colony, ca 1897 (MOHAI 7200)

The Brotherhood of the Cooperative Commonwealth was one of many late 19th century radical reform groups. In 1897, they started a cooperative settlement in Washington State. The members hoped to be self-supporting and to spread their socialist movement statewide. By 1900, 500 people had planted crops and built cabins, apartment houses, barns, and a sawmill at their new colony of Equality, north of Everett, near the Skagit River.
This photo shows the original log cabins at the socialist colony of Equality. Eric Hegg probably took the photograph in 1897 when the colony was founded. By 1908, poor leadership and many disagreements among the colonists had led to the end of the settlement.

Subjects (LCTGM): Collective settlements; Log cabins; Socialist Brotherhood of the Cooperative Commonwealth