RANGELEY – High atop a hill just outside of town sits a flat-roofed, stone building. Odd and eye-catching, the Orgonon Energy Observatory is home to the Wilhelm Reich Museum – officially recognized on the National Register of Historic Places for its nearly pristine walk through exhibit of scientist and physician Wilhelm Reich’s home and laboratory.
According to museum literature, the flat roofs provided the scientist with suitable space for observing the skies and the “pulsatory movement of the atmospheric orgone energy,” as Reich recorded in a research journal from 1950. Reich arrived in Rangeley eight years prior to the construction of his home and laboratory. He and his wife Ilse Ollendorff drove into Oquossoc during a rainstorm that had drowned out their camping trip in the White Mountains of New Hampshire where they had traveled several days earlier from Reich’s home and laboratory in New York City. The couple found a small cabin for rent and over the next few days Reich became convinced that Rangeley would be an ideal location for his research during the summer months, as opposed to the heat and humidity of his laboratory in New York City.
Reich’s unintended arrival in the summer of 1940 was the beginning of what would be a nearly 17-year presence in the community, first as one of the summer folks and later as a year-round resident. A renowned Austrian psychoanalyst, research physician and scientist, Reich had studied under Sigmund Freud before coming to the United States. He worked with hundreds of students over the course of his time, and published thousands of pages of research. Among many of his quests, Reich constructed an early model of a lie detector, discovered a version of time lapse photography, devoted hundreds of hours to his “Cloud Buster” machine and developed his well known Energy Theory.
After catching wind of his radical theories and reportedly nervous of conspiracies, the Federal Court ordered that Reich not carry any of his apparatuses or research journals over state lines. When an attendant of Reich’s disobeyed these orders, both men were sentenced to prison. While imprisoned, nearly six tons of Reich’s books and notebooks were ordered banned and burned. Reich died of natural causes in prison days before he was due to apply for parole.
“Whether you believe the theories or not, they shouldn’t have burned the books,” Kathy Steward said.
Steward’s father was a caretaker at the Orgonon Institute property, and she now works as a museum guide. She remembers Reich and the complexity of his story, both then and now.
“Nothing about Reich is simple,” she said.
For the most part, Steward has had a difficult relationship with the laboratory and its famed owner. Teased as a girl for her father’s connection, Steward said she remembers parents of other kids not allowing them to play with her.
But these days, Steward is a knowledgable bank of Reich trivia- rattling off dates and details with ease. Though self-described as not scientifically minded, Steward shares first-hand stories of numerous people over the years finding solace in Reich’s work. Steward shows off his glassed-in library, the antique tools and the parts of Reich’s life that have been left mainly untouched as though she herself was raised there. And in a way, she was.
“I always said if I ever got away from here I’d never come back. People thought he was a mad scientist,” she said. “It started out as just a job. But I guess I’m here to stay now.”
The museum offers a multitude of resources to the community, including conferences and nature programs for children. In 1993 the Wilhelm Reich Infant Trust applied for non-profit status for the museum as well as appointed a Board of Directors. That board has been in charge of the property for several years now.
For more information call 207-246-2271.
note: chief prosecutor in the case that imprisoned reich was one peter mills, formerly his own attorney.