Coming of Age on Cape Cod in the Summer of ’71
Every week, The Friendship Files features a conversation between The Atlantic’s Julie Beck and two or more friends, exploring the history and significance of their relationship.
This week she talks with a group of friends who met in their early 20s on Cape Cod in the summer of 1971. They lived crammed together in a house festooned with owl decorations, and the Owl House became the center of their social lives. The Owl House Gang, as they call themselves, tell the story of how one crazy summer led to a lifelong friendship.
The Friends:
Linda Eichenfeldt, 68, a realtor who lives in Warwick, Rhode Island
Windsor Green, 70, a photographer who lives in Sonoma, California
Dianne Marino, 70, a retired TV producer who lives in New York City
Debbie Mourey, 67, a digital marketer who lives in Corvallis, Oregon
Gary Olson, 68, a retired pharmacist who lives in Charlestown, Massachusetts
Jimmy Woodman, 68, a retired counselor for at-risk youth who lives in Venus, Florida
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Julie Beck: What led you all to Cape Cod in 1971, and how did you end up in the same house?
Jimmy Woodman: Gary and I grew up in the same little town: Sterling, Massachusetts.
After school was out, Jimmy says one day, “What are you doing this summer?” I said,
