Known for its unconventional way of life, Slab City, California has grown into an off-the-grid community of artists, oddballs, and squatters.

However, even the “Last Free Place in America,” as locals call it, did not stand a chance against COVID-19. 

In an interview for "LA Times Today," staff writer Priscella Vega joined host Lisa McRee with more.

Slab City was established in 1942, and is located in the Sonoran Desert near the Salton Sea.

“Slab City is only a few hundred acres large and is not too far from the city of Niland in Imperial County. These concrete slabs were leftover from a military camp in World War II, and people started showing up. The ones that show up are usually retirees with their RVs. Eventually, word of mouth spread, and people started showing up, started camping out on the dirt, and gained more popularity through social media, which caused younger people to show up. Now it has become this thriving community where people who want to live for free go to,” said Vega.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit last year, Slab City took a hit due to the lack of foreign tourists and activities.

“The pandemic shut off the Europeans and Canadians that would go down to Slab City during their winters. Along with that, musicians that would play at the Range — the community’s outdoor music venue — were not allowed to do that anymore. People really just stayed home and did not feel like they could go out there,” added Vega.

Despite the pandemic, Vega says Slab City did not face many positive cases.

“The thing is that many people did not know who was infected. The Imperial County coronavirus tracker did list a few cases in that area which includes nearby cities. But I would not be surprised because, like anywhere, there are people who do not believe in the pandemic and do not take safety precautions like wearing masks or washing their hands. Overall though, they seem to be doing ok,” said Vega.

Slab City is home to the music venue The Range. Vega said it is one of the city’s most famous sights. 

“The owner of the Range, “Builder Bill,” has had musicians perform from all over the world. And many musicians look for him because they want to shoot their music videos, take Instagram photos, and he gained this notoriety and was bummed that it stopped because of the pandemic,” said Vega.

One of the residents, Rodney “Spyder” Wild, has been living in Slab City for ten years, and he owns the California Ponderosa Airbnb.

“His business was completely hurt by the pandemic last year, and a lot of his clients stopped showing up. He is probably the only person who has a sign outside of his business that states that masks are required. He is trying to bounce back but does not think it will happen immediately, maybe next year,” said Vega.

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