New Llano, Louisiana

New Llano was the site of a Socialist community, said to be the longest surviving Socialist community in American history. It operated for over 20 years, from 1917 to around 1937. The community was originally called Llano del Rio Cooperative Colony, and was established in the Antelope Valley (a desert area north of Los Angeles), in 1914. That site, in use for only three years, was vacated due to a number of problems, perhaps foremost the lack of water for farming. The community moved to this site in rural western Louisiana, which featured a moister climate, and was able to operate self-sufficiently. Llano was originally founded by Job Harriman, a leader of the American Socialist Party, on the general principles of "equal ownership, equal wage and equal social opportunities." Many of the original buildings still stand, sold to new occupants. The Museum of the New Llano Colony is a local museum "committed to preserving the legacy of the Llano del Rio Cooperative Colony."