About Mountain Drive
Mountain Drive, a residential enclave of free spirits located in the hills above Montecito, California, coalesced in the years following World War II. The driving force behind its formation was Robert McKee Hyde, known to all as Bobby. The spirit of the community was bohemian, a “live-and-let-live” feel that fostered a close-knit camaraderie. Community interaction often centered on a growing number of celebrations and festivals.
Probably the best-known celebration was the Wine Stomp, begun in 1952, in which the Wine Queen selected that year was joined in the large wine vat by neighbors to crush that season’s harvest. Two generations later, an advanced oral history class set out to record the personal memories of those who were part of Mountain Drive's early days and their reflections on a spontaneous life of non-conformity, self-reliance, self-expression, and respect for nature.
Mountain Drive Wine Stomp, 1960s Photo: Michael Peake